


Mayumi

by ThoughtsOfTurmoil



Category: InuYasha - A Feudal Fairy Tale
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-13
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:21:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 11
Words: 79,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28048389
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThoughtsOfTurmoil/pseuds/ThoughtsOfTurmoil
Summary: The Feudal Fairy-tale isn't exactly what we've come to know. Enter Mayumi, the woman who loved Inuyasha for his human and demon sides. She was his own personal bridge between two vastly different worlds.Until Kikyo, in a jealous fit of rage, destroys it.In his grief Inuyasha attempts to take the Sacred Jewel for himself, and to become a full-fledged demon to revenge Mayumi's death. He does not succeed in this endeavor, but kills Kikyo in the process before being pinned to the Sacred Tree. When Kikyo begs Kaede to burn the Jewel of Four Souls with her body, young Kaede has other ideas.Yua, living with her Aunt and Grandpa at the Higurashi Shrine, is just trying to get back on her feet again let alone being pulled down an old well into a world she doesn't recognize.
Relationships: InuYasha/Kikyou (InuYasha), Inuyasha/Female Original Character, Miroku/Sango (InuYasha), Sesshomaru/Original Female Character
Comments: 8
Kudos: 22





	1. The Call Of The Past

**Author's Note:**

> Good day to you all!
> 
> Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to the creators of InuYasha.
> 
> Onward!

I was sure this was a dream.

It _felt_ like a dream as I stepped out of my new home at the family’s shrine. Grandpa, Aunt Miyu, and my cousins Kagome and Sota, were all still sleeping soundly in their rooms.

I gripped the small knitted throw blanket tighter around my shoulders, the night air nipping at my skin. The wind had picked up slightly, easily cutting through my pajamas. Would I be able to feel the chill like this is a dream? My green eyes looked upwards, a full moon illuminating the night sky and outshining the stars surrounding it. The drifting smell of incense filled my nose from the previous day, a scent I had quickly become used to after moving in with my relatives.

A pulse flows through the air, sending a warm sensation trickling down my spine.

Gasping I turn my gaze back downwards, eyes filled with uncertainty as I look directly ahead. It was the same pulse that I had felt only moments ago in my bed, the same one that had prompted me to wander outside. Stepping cautiously down the stairs, my bare feet finally land on the cool pavement of the walkway below. They carry me away without a conscious thought, heading towards the one place that had captivated me since my arrival.

The Sacred Tree.

Chewing on my lower lip, and once again wondering at the vividness of this dream, I step over the barrier surrounding the large tree. I can feel the grass between my toes, wet with dew. What time was it? Was it early morning? I didn’t know. Clutching at the blanket around my shoulders tightly with one hand, I tilt my head back to observe the large tree I now stood under. It was thick with leaves, healthy, the bark rough all except for one place. I step closer and look at the smooth expanse with curiosity, the reason for it a mystery to me. Almost hypnotically my hand slowly reaches up, fingers gently running down the smooth expanse.

That same pulse, stronger than before, rushes over me.

With a startled gasp I stumble backwards till the back of my knees hit the rope barrier. Losing my balance I topple over it and back onto the pavement of the walkway, elbows scraping painfully against the cement. Wincing I bring up one of them to look at, and see the blood trickling from a large scrape. My heart starts to race. This most certainly did _not_ feel like a dream. I swallow thickly, shaking as I look from my bloody elbow, back up towards the Sacred Tree.

_Why did I suddenly feel an intense sense of longing?_

* * *

“Yua,” Kagome’s lilting voice wakes me as I force back a groan, blinking blearily against the light pouring in from our bedroom window. “Come on, lazy bones, it’s time to get up!” She exclaims, and I finally turn my head from the window to find her at the doorway, half her body hidden behind the sliding door. There is a large, pleasant smile on her face, not a baggy eye to be seen. “Breakfast is ready.”

 _‘Glad one of us had a good sleep,’_ I think to myself bitterly, though outwardly I smile. “Be there in a moment,” Kagome nods, but a worried frown settles on her lips.

“You look like you had a rough night,” She murmurs, her voice taking on _that_ tone. The tone that people used after they knew you had been through something traumatic. I was so sick of hearing it but I hold back a snappish retort, knowing she wasn’t doing it on purpose.

“Had a weird dream,” I admit. It really _had_ been a weird dream. Kagome’s body straightened as she came to stand fully in the door, looking at me now with concern.

“Was it about that night?” She asks softly, and I feel my stomach churn as I fight back the memory of it. Blinding lights, the sound of crunching metal…

“No,” I state quickly, sitting up abruptly. I hold back a surprised hiss of pain as my back groans in protest. What the hell was that about? “I’ll be out for breakfast once I change,” Kagome frowns and nods before leaving, thankfully understanding that this conversation was over. I wince as I shift to stand, my joints screaming at me as I do. I had been sleeping on this futon for over a month, I shouldn’t be getting sore _now._ I walk over to the closet Kagome and I now shared, grabbing a long sleeved shirt and jeans along with a clean pair of underwear. Hobbling over to the sliding door I shut it completely before changing. Getting into my underwear and jeans was no problem, but the moment I pulled the arms of my shirt over my elbows a sharp sting surprises me. I ignore it for a moment as I shove my shirt the rest of the way on, before gently pushing the sleeves up and turning my arms so I can look at my elbows.

 _‘Holy shit!’_ I think to myself in shock as I see the angry red welts, some died blood on the skin around them. _Last night hadn’t been a dream after all._ Letting my arms fall limply to my sides I turn and stare out the window, mind racing. So that had all been _real?_ From our window in the bedroom I can see the Sacred Tree, heart racing as I thought about that electric pulse I had felt. _‘Maybe I had been half dreaming? Like sleepwalking?’_ I try to reason with myself.

Because how on earth could you explain a _tree_ giving off energy like that?

“Yua!” Aunt Miyu calls, bringing me back to the present.

“Coming!” I call back, turning away from the window as I roll my sleeves back down and making my way towards the kitchen area. Sota and Kagome were both already sitting down and eating, while Grandpa sipped away at his morning tea. I go to my designated spot, slowly sitting down. Aunt Miyu, ever observant, makes note of it as she brings another omelette to the table. “You look sore this morning, Yua,” She comments with a concerned frown. “Was it the futon? We really should get you a proper bed.”

“No, it’s not that at all. I walked around the Shrine a lot yesterday, and it’s probably the most exercise I’ve gotten in a while,” I try to come up with an excuse, surprised how convincing I actually did sound. It was half true, after all, I _had_ been walking around the Shrine.

Last night apparently.

The last thing I needed was to admit I was sleep walking. Sleep walking was associated with stress, and I didn't need Aunt Miyu or the others getting worried that I was experiencing some sort of PTSD. They already had enough on their plates taking me in, let alone dealing with my problems as well.

“Still, I will look into getting something ordered for you soon,” Aunt Miyu replies firmly. “I’m sure we can find a way to make it work in Kagome’s room,” I frown a little, glancing towards my cousin. She tries to hide it, but I can tell she’s not so hot on the idea of having more space in her room taken over by me. I can’t blame her either, she didn’t ask for me to move in here.

“No, no, it’s fine. Don’t go to the trouble. The futon is quite comfortable,” I reply, a prang of hurt hitting me directly in the chest as it was once again blatantly obvious that I was imposing on them, no matter what they said otherwise. _‘I don’t belong here,’_ I can’t help the self pitying thought. _‘I don’t belong_ anywhere _now,’_

“I sleep on a futon, and I find it quite comfortable,” Grandpa spoke up with a tone of superiority from above the rim of his teacup. “It’s _traditional_ ,”

“It’s _traditionally_ uncomfortable,” Sota replied without hesitation, causing us all to burst out into laughter, other than Grandpa of course. I was once again struck with appreciation for Sota’s unknowingly good timing for humor. I reach forth with my chopsticks, taking a piece of omelette and nearly groaning as the fluffy morsel melted in my mouth. Aunt Miyu sits down as well, helping herself, and for a few moments there is a nice silence around the room.

“I was also thinking you might like to join Kagome at school next semester,” I freeze midway to sipping at my tea, eyes going wide in shock. To be honest I hadn’t thought of returning to school, even with it being my last year before graduation. “We could talk to the school and see if they’ll transfer your credits over so you can start where you left off and keep on track for graduation,” She adds, smiling serenely. Clearly she was thinking that this was an idea I would be all for, but shamefully I was not. I was a good student, don’t get me wrong, and I did enjoy _my_ school with _my_ friends. When I didn’t answer right away, Aunt Miyu frowned. “It’s still a month away, you can have time to think about it,” She backtracked awkwardly then, and I nodded silently, leaning in to take a sip of tea.

Truth be told I knew I was being stubborn and pig headed about a very trivial thing, but in the back of my mind I couldn’t help thinking that the more roots I put down here, the more I’d have to come to accept that my life won’t be the same. Although, the reality is that my life hadn’t been very good to begin with before the accident.

 _‘So why am I so afraid for it to change for the_ better? _’_ I think to myself in disbelief, a frown setting on my face. New school, new people, where no-one knew who I was or where I came from. I could be anyone I wanted to be now. I could be a better version of myself.

“I was thinking I could start showing Yua around the Shrine some more, maybe give her some jobs to pass the time,” Grandpa spoke up then, his gaze turning towards me with a knowing look. I felt relief instantly wash over me, nodding with a small smile.

“I would like that,” I reply eagerly, Grandpa looking pleased.

“I’m glad to see that at least one of you children are interested in our family’s legacy,” He quipped, sending both Sota and Kagome a look. Sota rolled his eyes, but Kagome looked annoyed.

“Not all of us want to grow up stuck in the past, Grandpa,” Kagome bit out in annoyance, standing from the table. She marches over to her backpack laying beside the front door, grabbing it and hefting it over her shoulder. “I’ll see everyone after school,” She mutters, sliding open the door with a little more force than necessary, before slamming it shut behind her. Aunt Miyu sighs, standing from her spot now as well.

“Sota, it’s about time we got you off to school as well,” She ruffled his hair affectionately, Sota lightly protesting as he gently smacks her hand away and stands as well. They both walk over to the front door together, Sota grabbing his backpack as well.

“See you after school, cous!” He grins, waving at me. I wave back, nodding and smiling in return.

“I’ll be here,” I reply easily, watching as he and Aunt Miyu leave. I hold in a sigh, standing slowly and grabbing onto the tray that had once held our food for breakfast. I head for the sink, washing up the few dishes easily before setting them to the side to dry. Turning back towards Grandpa, I lean my lower back against the counter and cross my arms. “So, what did you have planned for me?” I ask with a raised eyebrow. Grandpa grins a little, lifting his own eyebrow back at me.

“Have you ever used a bow before?”

* * *

I blink in silent shock as Grandpa hands me an old fashioned bow, my fingers clasping around the leather grip. I was instantly aware of how long the bow was, having gotten used to seeing much shorter bows in movies and t.v. shows. This bow was almost the entire length of my body, coming up just inches short. I take in the detail, feeling along the smooth laminated bamboo with the fingers of my other hand. It was beautiful in it’s simple design, unscratched all except for an inscription made along the inside curve on the longer upper half of the bow.

“It says _'may your aim be true'_ ,” Grandpa speaks up from beside me, having obviously caught what I was looking at. I swallow lightly, still mystified enough not to snort at the cheesy phrase.

“This thing is _huge,_ Grandpa,” I observe, frowning a little then in confusion. “What _is_ it so big?”

“This is a form of bow called the Sanbonhigo,” Grandpa explains, clasping his hands behind his back. “It was first created back during the The Sengoku Jidai, the warring period during the 15th to 17th century. It was made so that the warriors could use it from multiple positions. Kneeling, horseback, even up in the very trees. It was the ultimate weapon of choice for the refined soldier,” I instantly imagine a warrior in feudal Japan using this thing, thinking about how cumbersome it must have been. _Refined_ wasn’t what came to my mind when I looked at this thing.

“Why are you giving this to _me_?” I ask softly then, looking from the bow towards Grandpa in confusion. He gives me a sad smile.

“It belonged to your Grandfather on your Father’s side, and his Father before him, all the way back to when it was first created all those hundreds of years ago,” Grandpa explained, and I felt my chest seize up. I dreaded what I knew Grandpa was going to say next. “It’s rightfully yours,” Even before he's finished his thought, I'm shaking my head and forcefully hand him the bow back, his face shocked as I do.

“ _No,_ it’s not,” I reply firmly, doing my best to control my temper. I knew he meant well. “I don’t want _anything_ from him,” I spat out. Grandpa frowned, sympathy in his gaze. “I know your Father wasn’t always the best man-”

“No, he _wasn’t_ ,” I cut off angrily, glaring now at the piece of wood in Grandpa’s hands. “And my Mother was an idiot not to see it too,” Grandpa’s eyes hardened then at the slight against his daughter.

“Watch yourself, Yua. That’s no way to talk about your parents,” Grandpa warned me. My hands clench into fists, shaking as I swallow back another biting remark.

 _‘_ What _parents? She was so wrapped up in him, and he was so wrapped up in himself, that I never even landed on their radars. Except when I did something to piss Dad off,’_ I think bitterly. An awkward silence falls between us, before Grandpa lets out a large sigh.

“If you choose to change your mind, this will be in that building over there, along with the arrows you’d need,” Grandpa states, nodding towards a structure in the distance. “I’ll keep the target here for you as well,” He adds, and I glance towards the old-fashioned hay target, the circles still brightly colored from the outside inwards. “Why don’t you go and weed out the gardens on the East end of the property?” He suggests, thankfully giving me an out. I nod silently and turn, leaving Grandpa to put the bow back where it belonged.

Out of my sight.

* * *

“ _Mayumi!_ Mayumi, you need to run!” His voice his so familiar, gravelly in tone…and _desperate._ “Leave me!” My heart aches horribly at this, breaking. I stand alone in the dark, unable to see anything, not even my own hands as I raise them towards my face.

“ _NO! MAYUM!_ ”

Suddenly there is a blinding purple light in front of me, illuminating my surroundings. I see trees, lots of trees. My body moves on it’s own, my mind racing to try and catch up as I stumble backwards and my hand lands on something behind me. It’s rough bark. Looking up from where I am standing I can see a familiar smooth patch on the front of the tree trunk.

“It’s the _Scared Tree_ ,” I murmur to myself in wonder.

“ ** _MAYUMI!_** ”

The male voice calls out again, but as I look around I don’t see anyone. Where _was_ he? Where was that voice coming from? Why was he calling for this Mayumi woman?

“If you _stand_ with him, you _die_ with him!”

A disembodied female voice joins in, echoing through the forest. I feel a sense of fear rush through me, the sound of the voice sending a chilling tingle down my back. Suddenly the purple light gets brighter, and with wide eyes I notice an arrow in the center of the light heading straight for me. The disembodied male voice shouts out in pure terror and rage, before suddenly everything goes silent. All I can hear is the wind passing through the feathers on the arrow as it whizzes through the air.

And the dull thud as it hits me directly in the chest.

My eyes widen as I look down at the wood shaft now protruding from me in shock. There was no pain as I start to fall backwards, becoming weightless, the mystery man’s voice calling out Mayumi’s name in sorrow echoing in the darkness as I fall for what feels like an eternity.

* * *

Waking with a start, jumping as my stomach catches up from that feeling of falling, I hold my breath and look towards Kagome’s bed silently hoping I hadn’t woken her. She simply snorts in her sleep, turns over, and stills once more. I sigh quietly in relief, turning my head the opposite way to look out the window as I work to steady my racing heart and my breathing. The golden rays of dawn were just barely starting to peak through, I notice with a frown. It was early, but I knew after _that_ dream I wouldn’t be able to go back to sleep.

I close my eyes for a moment, searching deep within my memory to hear that voice again. That rough, entirely _male_ voice. I feel warmth spread through me as I do, the echo of him calling out that name ringing in my head. _Mayumi_ …why would I have dreams about a man and woman I had never met? I open my eyes, mind racing.

It had been so _vivid,_ though.

I get up quietly, carefully digging through the closest for clothes and changing. Making my way carefully through the house, so as not to wake anyone, I slip on my shoes and step outside into the crisp morning air. It takes my breath away, my jeans and t-shirt being just enough to keep me somewhat comfortable and warm.

There. I can see it in the distance again. The Sacred Tree had been in my dream.

I swallow thickly, stepping down and walking along the pathway towards it. The birds were just beginning to wake, chirping serenely to welcome the day. I always loved this time of morning, the calm before the storm so to speak. It was rare that I got time to myself now, living at the Shrine, so I enjoyed these moments while they lasted. Walking up to the tree I stop at the barrier this time, watching it silently.

 _‘This tree is so old. It has no doubt seen so many things come and pass,’_ I muse to myself wistfully, a little surprised at the depth of my thoughts. I frown then, my eyes drawn towards the building that Grandpa had said he left the bow in. My hand unconsciously raises up to the center of my chest. _‘The arrow in my dream…it had all seemed so real,’_ I hesitate for a moment, before slowly making my way over to the building. I grab the sliding door, sliding it open with some difficulty. It was obvious that nobody really entered this place often, as the door stuck slightly when I moved it. Walking in, the rising sun gave some light, enough to show an old wooden staircase leading down to what looked like an old, dried up well. The mouth of it was covered by boards, three leaves wrapped in paper sitting on top, no doubt a ward of some sort that Grandpa had placed ontop. The whole inside of the building itself looked old and hardly cared for. I grab onto the nearby railing, not trusting the stairs completely, and carefully make my way down. The wood creaks under my weight, which being as heavy as I am, I’m not surprised. In fact, I’m more surprised that it didn’t break under me as I reach the safety of solid ground.

 _‘Wait, why_ did _I come down here?’_ I think to myself suddenly, my eyes widening then as I realized I had climbed down to the well with no real purpose. _‘Well…now that I’m here…’_ I mentally shrug stepping up closer to the well’s edge. I reach out, touching the old wood.

“ ** _MAYUMI!_** ”

I scream before I can stop myself, quickly back-peddling away from the edge. My heels get caught on the bottom step of the stairs, causing me to fall hard on my ass. I wince, my tailbone bashing painfully against the edge of the step above the one I had landed on.

“What the hell was _that?!_ ” I ask myself shakily, the voice echoing in my head. _‘It had been that same voice from my dream!’_ I take a shuddering breath, looking upwards then towards the wooden walkway above, wondering if someone was playing tricks on me. My eyes land on the old wooden chest against the right wall by the door, the bow Grandpa had tried to give me yesterday laying over top of it. I get up quickly then, racing up the stairs and away from the well.

“I’ll never do _that_ again,” I mutter to myself, giving one last glance over my shoulder at the plank covered well, before grabbing the bow from on top of the chest. I held it with one hand, opening the chest with the other, eyes widening as I not only saw arrows inside, but a leather quiver and what looked to me some sort of ancient armor.

“I thought I heard you out here,” Grandpa’s voice spoke up suddenly from the doorway, and I jump, heart racing.

 _‘SERIOUSLY?!’_ I scream inwardly, sick of being startled.

“Are you ready to learn?” He asks, effectively ignoring the scathing look I knew I was unintentionally giving him. I hesitate, looking from Grandpa towards the bow in my hand. The arrow in my dream filtered through my mind once more, a sudden urge pulling deep at my stomach to use the very bow I had in my hands. I couldn't tell what the urge was originating from, but it was certainly much stronger than yesterday.

Besides, was I really going to let my Dad take another thing from me?

“Yeah, I’m ready,” I answer then firmly, looking back towards Grandpa. “Teach me.”


	2. Out Of The Frying Pan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to LunaDeath1 for your Kudos! Much appreciated :)
> 
> I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!

_'Sooooo, this is_ a lot _harder than it looks.'_ I think to myself dryly, sweat beading on my forehead. It would have been good for Grandpa to have mentioned earlier that this bow had a _thirty pound_ draw weight. To most this might not seem like much, but to an overweight and entirely nonathletic girl it was a whole _heck_ of a lot!

"You're going to have to build the muscles in your arms, chest, back, and core through practice." Grandpa stated, a sly smile on his face. I lower the bow then, having been trying to draw back to fire a third arrow with little success.

"I should have known you were just trying to get me to work out." I mutter disdainfully, Grandpa shrugging easily.

"You could stand to lose a little weight." He replied evenly. I threw my head back, crying out in mock indignity. Let's be honest though...he was right. More like I could lose a good _fifty_ pounds. "It's not healthy!"

"I'm _aware_ of this, Grandpa." I snark back, sighing as I shake my arms one at a time, arrow still clenched against the hemp string of the bow. I look at my right arm, brows furrowing as I study the leather arm-guard that had most definitely saved my forearm in the first two tries. It was beautiful, a dark black outlined in red leather stitching. The entire ensemble that this arm-guard belonged to had been in the chest, but there had been no need for any other articles of armor. As Grandpa had also pointed out, it probably wouldn't have fit. The quiver, however, laid at my feet, also black with red leather stitching.

"I'm going to have to teach you how to properly look after your bow and how to fix your arrows." Grandpa spoke up after a moment of silence. "Also you will have to learn how to look after the armor. There is a reason all these things have been preserved like this over the generations, and it's _not_ because it was left alone to _mold_ and _rot_."

" _Woah!_ " Sōta's voice rang out then as he came running towards us. I looked over towards my younger cousin as he stopped just short of me, eyeing the bow. "This is so _cool_ , Yua! Where did you get that?!" I can't help a small smile at my cousin's eagerness and excitement.

"Grandpa saved it for me. It was my Father's." I say, trying to keep the bitter taste out of my mouth as I mentioned that man.

"My Dad didn't leave me something cool like _that!_ " Sōta sighed enviously, and I'm struck with how easily he mentioned his own Dad. He had been young when his Dad had died in a car accident, almost too young to remember him. The only life Sōta has really ever known has been here at the Shrine.

"Tell you what, when you get old enough and strong enough to pull this string back, I'll teach you like Grandpa is teaching me." I promise, Sōta lifting an eyebrow in challenge.

"Who says I'm not strong enough _now_?" He demands, crossing his arms in a huff. I share a mischievous look with Grandpa, before easily shrugging my shoulders and handing the younger boy the bow. I hold back a laugh, the bow twice as tall as Sōta is, as he tries to lift it up high enough off of the ground and pull the string back at the same time. He grunts and pulls until he is red in the face, before giving in with a defeated sigh. I take it back, holding in a smirk as he looks up at me impatiently.

" _Okay, fine._ " He grumbles irritably, before turning and heading back to the house to no doubt help Aunt Miyu with breakfast.

"You'll get the hang of this soon enough with practice." Grandpa speaks up, watching as Sōta takes off as well. "Let's call it a morning. Put that back and come up for breakfast." He adds, before heading off towards the house as well. I sigh heavily, looking down at the bow in my hands before looking towards the building that contained the well.

That voice was still weighing heavily on my mind.

* * *

It took a couple of weeks for me to realize I had actually settled into a routine for the first time since I had arrived at the Shrine. I would wake up at the crack of dawn, grab my bow and arrows, and practice for an hour. I would eat breakfast, then help Grandpa with the maintenance of the gardens and walkways for the rest of the morning. Eat lunch, then practice with my bow again for another hour before putting it away for the day and helping my Aunt get supper ready for the evening. It was a simple routine, but it made the days go by much quicker than they had been before.

Looking in the mirror this morning after my shower had caused me to reflect on this, as there was a noticeable difference in my body. Only to me, mind you, I doubt to anyone else. My stomach was tighter, maybe even a _tad_ bit smaller, and my arms had gotten a little slimmer as well. Stepping onto the scale curiously my eyes widen in shock as I see I had lost a whole _ten pounds_!

 _'I haven't lost weight since my first year in junior high!'_ I think to myself, stunned. The only reason I had lost weight was because gym had been mandatory that first year. I had refused to take it after that and had gained all the weight back I had lost. I should have clued in sooner, to be honest. I felt better than I had in years. _'The old coot was right, I really do need to get more in shape.'_ I know Grandpa would never let me live it down if I let him know he was right. Getting dressed in my usual jeans and shirt I head outside. Groaning loudly I stretching my arms above my head as the sun warms my face. Today was a good day to take a small break and enjoy the nice weather.

"But maybe I'll get a couple shots in at least, just to keep me loosened up." I say to myself, figuring that everyone was still in bed. I walk over to the now familiar building, sliding the door easily open. I had worked with Grandpa to grease the slider, and that coupled with continual use had loosened the door up significantly. The sun pours in, once again illuminating the well that lay just on the edge of where the light could reach. I frown at the memory of the last time I had approached it all those weeks ago.

**_"MAYUMI!"_ **

A shudder runs down my spine as I can still hear that gravelly voice shouting out, filled with grief and rage. It had hit me at my very core. Doing my best to shrug off the sense of foreboding I felt at the memory of the mysterious voice, I turn my attention to the chest against the wall and collect what I need. I strap my arm guard in place securely before grabbing my quiver full of arrows and attaching the quiver onto my belt; I had ran to the department store the day after I had started practicing and purchased a metal clip to make things easier. Finally grabbing my bow, I make my way towards the door.

" _Meow…meow… **mmmeeeooowwww**._"

I groan, rolling my eyes at the noise Kagome's cat was making, his cries echoing from lower down in the shelter. The little shit had probably gotten locked in here yesterday. Sighing I throw my bow over my shoulder, hooking it against my body.

" _Here, kitty._ " I sing out, mentally beating myself to try and remember the stupid cat's name. I hate cats. The dumb feline meows again, but doesn't appear. " _Here kitty, kitty, kitty!_ " I call out a bit louder from the top of the stairs, praying I'd see the white and brown fur ball appear.

Nada.

Groaning loudly I turn away. Surely the if the mangy animal was smart enough to get _in_ here, he'd be smart enough to get _out_? I take a step, and the cat meows again.

_Fuck._

Resignedly I turn back around, glancing nervously at the well before mentally slapping myself. I had probably just been hearing things before, right? There was nothing to be _scared_ of! It was just a dried up, old well! I take a tentative step down, pausing irrationally for a moment to listen.

No voices. Alright, we're hopefully good.

I make it the rest of the way down, squinting as I look into the dark to try and find the cat. I walk a little closer to the well, eyeing it with distrust, before nearly screaming as something rubs up against my legs. Looking down I'm equally annoyed and relieved to have found the family cat.

"You scared the _shit_ out of me!" I exclaim down at the innocent creature, and it gives another meow in response.

Then things start to _actually_ get scary.

I feel that warm pulse from before in the air coming from the well, and against my better judgement, I can't help but be drawn in closer.

 _'Why does that keep happening around here?'_ I frown in wonder, taking two steps forward. I was nearly to the edge, before freezing as the planks suddenly fly off with a gust of wind.

 _'Why can't I_ move _?'_ I ask myself desperately. I can feel my heart racing as I can see something emerging from the well, reaching out like tentacles towards me. I can't run, I can't move.

_I can't even scream for help._

Something that feels like hands grab onto me around my shoulders and waist, dragging me forward and right into the well. I manage to close my eyes, fully expecting to hit the bottom and break my neck.

But it never comes.

Hands grab my face on either side, and I snap my eyes open as a reflex, before snapping them closed just as quickly when I see _exactly_ what has a hold of me. A naked woman with long jet black hair, her eyes unseeing.

"Open your eyes." She hisses out the order, her voice echoing all around us in the darkness. We continuing to float, that much I can feel, and that I'd probably be lost if she didn't have me anchored down with her grip on my face…and my shoulders… _and my hips_? Snapping my eyes back open once more as I add up the amount of hands currently touching me, I'm horrified to see for myself that she has _six arms!_

"Oh to be _alive_ once more! Already my strength returns." She croaks, her voice sounding as inhuman as she looked. I swallowed thickly, before looking over her shoulder, horrified to see that the remaining part of her body was a skeleton of a tail that looked to be a hundred feet long! I blink, and in that very moment I can see what she means now as her bones, bit by bit, were slowly being enveloped by _flesh and claws._

 _'She looks like a_ centipede! _'_ I gasp inwardly. _'This isn't possible! This_ has _to be another dream!'_ I manage to look around, even with her grip on my head. We were floating in a a void, dimly lit by a blue aura that surrounded us. Her grip suddenly tightens.

"You have it, don't you?" She demands, and I frown in confusion.

 _'Have_ what _?_ ' I think trying to pull my head away, but her grip was too strong.

"The Sacred Jewel. _Give it to me_!" Her tongue then folds out of her mouth, longer than any tongue I have every seen before. With disgust I watch as it reaches out the width of the distance our bodies are apart, feeling it make landfall on my chin and slither up my cheek. It was wet, slimy, and cold.

"Get your _disgusting_ tongue _off of me_!" I growl, reaching up with my free hand and grabbing onto it, pulling hard. The thing screams in pain, but it has the desired effect as she quickly snaps her tongue back into her mouth. She grabs onto my arms now on both sides, pinning them against my body at the elbows. I wince, feeling my very bones protest at the force she uses.

 _'Should a dream feel this_ real _?_ ' I think frantically, watching as her mouth opens to reveal too very sharp looking fangs.

"If you won't _give_ it to me, I'll have to _devour_ you instead." She hisses out.

 _Nope_ , I don't think so!

I reach down with the minimal movement I have in my left arm for my quiver, quickly clasping one of my arrows. "Let me _go_ you _bitch_!" I shout angrily, jabbing what I could of the arrow upwards and into the monster's stomach. A purple light bursts forth from my arrow into her wound and the centipede lady lets out a pained scream. My own gaze is glued onto the purple, shining arrow now clutched in my left hand.

 _'I-it looks like the light from my dream.'_ I instantly recognize, eyes wide with shock as we slowly drift apart. She falls back into the void, her voice echoing up to me.

"You little…I must have the Sacred Jewel! _I must!_ " I hardly have time to wonder what she meant by _'Sacred Jewel'_ before I'm landing on my hands and knees on solid ground. Breathing heavily I take a moment to try and rationalize what just happened. Looking upwards I see light coming from the top of the well.

 _'Had I fallen in and lost consciousness?'_ I think to myself in disbelief, my entire body shaking. _'Or was everything that had just happened now all_ real _?'_ I look around the floor of the well, pausing in horror as I see a pale, disembodied arm laying only feet away. Then I look down at my hands and see the arrow I had used to stab the monster still pinned under my palm.

"I need to get the fuck outta here." I mutter to myself, gripping the arrow in my hand hard as I feel panic rising in my chest. I stand slowly on my shaking legs, looking around the well for a way out. Some vines had reached down to the bottom, but I was doubtful they could hold my weight to climb up. _'It's the only way, though.'_ I reason with myself, frowning more. I look down at the arrow in my hand, remembering once more how it had glowed before. Placing it carefully in my quiver, I step up to the vines and get a good foothold before starting to climb up.

 _'Wait…were there vines in the well before?'_ I frown as I think of this, halfway up. I pause for a moment as something comes fluttering down into the well, blinking as I find out it's a butterfly. Chewing on my lower lip I let it pass, heaving myself up the last couple of feet.

"Thank god I started using the bow before this happened, or I'd have no upper body strength whatsoever." I grunt to myself as my hands clasp onto the wood at the top of the well. I give one last heave, throwing myself up onto the edge on my stomach, looking up and expecting to see the wooden walls of the building.

Instead I was met with a beautiful meadow, outlined by large trees.

Blinking a couple times, just to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me, I slowly lifted my leg over the edge and rolled myself gracelessly onto the ground, landing with a grunt. I find that I'm quite comfortable to sit right then, looking around in wonder.

"Where the hell _am_ I?" I ask myself out loud, before frowning. "Nope, this has _got_ to be a dream." I reach for my right arm with my left hand, pinching it hard. My brows furrow as I realize just how much I had felt that. My eyes widen as I watch my pinched skin go from white to flushed with color.

"So my dreams are _detailed_ …" I trail off, listening to the birds chirping in the distance. I brace my hands on the edge of the well long enough to stand up, before quickly backing away from it. I look around intently, trying to find any semblance of familiarity as I do.

Deep down, though, something about all this _does_ feel familiar.

 _'Should I be this calm?'_ I can't help thinking to myself, walking a little further away from the well. I see what looks to be a clear trail leading off from the clearing. Before I follow it I pause for a moment, reflecting that this really might not be the best idea. _'Where else do I go, though?'_ I start down the trail at that thought and walk a good distance, before finally seeing something above the foliage that I _definitely_ recognized.

_The Sacred Tree._

I ran towards it then, irrationally thinking that I might have found my way back to the Shrine. I push through some bushes, finally coming to the clearing and stopping short.

There, right where the smooth piece of the trunk had been on _my_ Sacred Tree, was what looked like a man dressed in red with silver hair… _pinned by an arrow_. Something deep inside of me rumbles at the sight, warmth suddenly spreading through me from my fingers to my toes. I take an unconscious step closer, the warmth growing. Soon enough I find myself at the base of the tree, right under his feet.

 _'Are those_ dog ears _?'_ My eyes widen as I take in the sight of the two silver, pointed ears at the top of his head. My hand moves to rest on one of the thick vines that have wrapped up the trunk of the tree and around the man's body.

The air pulses suddenly, just like it had done right before I had fallen into the well.

I gasp in shock, stumbling backwards as my bow clatters to the ground. I look up at the silver haired man with wide eyes.

"Get away from there!" I male voice suddenly cries out from behind me, and I swing around to see a group of six men with their arrows pointed directly at me. My eyes widen as I look them over. They were all dressed in simple kimonos made of cotton, the colors dull. Their hair was all long and either placed in a ponytail or a bun on their heads. I know those outfits, I had seen them in my history text books throughout school. People didn't wear these things during my time unless it was for a special occasion.

Or you were my Grandpa.

 _'Maybe I shouldn't ask_ where _I am, but...but_ when _I am?!'_ I hold my hands up, mouth opening and closing in shock. The men take the opportunity to advance on me, a couple of them carrying ropes in their hands. I shake my head, backing up till I hit the base of the tree.

"Don't touch me!" I shout at them, trying to sound meaner than I felt. They all frowned, eyes roaming over me as mine had over them. Clearly they were just as put off by my odd appearance. "I'm serious! Don't come near me!" I go to reach for my bow, but two of the men are faster. They rush me, grabbing my arms before I have a chance to get a hold of anything.

"You're coming with us!" One of the men growl into my ear, his grip almost painful on my arm. I struggle, trying to get at least one of my hands loose. The other man grabs onto my other hand, jerking it painfully behind my back and starting to wrap the rope around it. As soon as I felt the rope bit into my skin, I lost it.

"I SAID _DON'T TOUCH ME!_ " I shout loudly, and suddenly I feel a pulse of energy from deep inside of me rush outwards. It flashes purple in color, sending the men flying backwards with startled yells. The power washes over me, overwhelming like a tidal wave, and it's like whatever was inside of me takes over as I look to the remaining four men, all watching on nervously and clearly unsure of what to do.

Suddenly one of them let's their arrow fly.

It's like a second instinct has taken over as I raise my hand, glowing that same color of purple that the energy had as it had burst out of me. The arrow tip connects with my light, disintegrating on contact.

 _'How the hell did I do that?!'_ My mind yells at me, but weirdly enough I feel nothing but calm. It was like someone else had the reigns right now, and I was just along for the ride. The rest of the men let their arrows fly, and one after the other burned up on contact just like the first.

"What _is_ she?!" Someone yelled in fear, all of them backing away now.

" _Mayumi?_ " My back snaps straight at the new voice, slowly turning to see an elderly woman dressed in a traditional priestess kimono, a black patch covering her one eye. "Is that really _you_?" She asks in wonder. The feeling of warmth from before returns, not as intense, and I feel the muscles in my body relax.

" _Kaede…_ " The name slips past my lips with a strange familiarity, and the look of amazement on her face tells me that I'm not wrong. All of a sudden it's like my energy is all gone, and I fall to my knees weakly, before my world goes dark.

 _'How had I known her_ name _?'_

* * *

My dry throat is the first thing that I notice when I wake, blinking my eyes to try and force the bleariness away. The next thing that I notice is that I'm definitely not in Kagome's room. A wooden ceiling was above me, a hole cut out in the center at the top, and looking to the side I'm greeted with the sight of a traditional hut. I sit up, looking out the nearby window to the outside world. I could hear the people outside chatting nervously, dusk clearly setting in the sky.

"Do not mind them. They are simply curious." A familiar wise voice speaks up from my other side. I turn sharply, the elderly woman from the clearing sitting calmly by the fire. Something smelt really good, and it was wafting from the pot hanging over the flames. "Are ye hungry?" She asks, and I hesitate. "I'm not here to hurt ye, child. Now come get something to eat and drink. Ye have had a long day." I watch for a moment longer, trying to sense if she was lying. I found something deep inside of me urged me to trust her. _'I mean, if she wanted me dead or chained up I wouldn't be here, would I? And she certainly wouldn't be offering me_ food _.'_ Thinking my logic fairly solid I crawled over towards the warm fire. I accepted the bowl of what looked to be stew with a nod of thanks, blowing on it to cool it before taking a sip.

_God this was good._

"You cook better than my Aunt." I blurt out without thinking, before a lump seizes in my throat. Grandpa, Aunt Miyu, Kagome…Sōta. My heart aches specifically thinking about him. I don't know when, or how, but I somehow knew that I wasn't in my time anymore. I looked to Kaede, needing it confirmed.

"What year is this?" I ask, Kaede looking up from pouring herself some stew.

"The _year_?" She asks quizzically, frowning. "How do ye not know what year it is?"

"You called me Mayumi earlier." I state instead, realizing I wasn't going to get far with that question. "That's not my name. I'm Yua." Kaede nods, a frown on her face.

"Aye. After I brought ye here and got a good look at ye I could tell ye weren't Mayumi. Though ye look _very_ similar." Kaede replied, poking at the fire. Sparks flew upwards, the wood crackling. "Forgive an old woman for mistaking ye for an old friend. I should have known. Mayumi died when I was a child." She states sadly, and I blink in surprise.

So Mayumi wasn't a figment of my imagination? She had actually been _real_?

"Where are ye from, child?" Kaede asks then as I take another sip of the stew. I snort a little, shaking my head.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you." I reply evenly. _'And if this is the era I think it might be, I'd be burned as a witch if they found out.'_

"Ye would be surprised what I've heard over my long years." Kaede replied, not easily deflected. I frown, letting the bowl rest in my lap.

"I don't think you've ever heard _this_." I murmur, looking down at the flames. _'This could still be a_ dream _after all.'_ I think to myself naively.

Suddenly the earth underneath us begins to shake.

 _'Oh god, what_ now _?_ ' I groan to myself, before I hear the what sounds like cracking wood echoing over the village. Kaede and I both stand, rushing to the door as a bell was rung, clearly some sort of alarm.

"What's going on?" Kaede asks in alarm, pushing the cover aside from the doorway. I follow her through, before my stomach drops as I see something I thought I wouldn't ever see again. The all too familiar form of a centipede's body crashes through houses on the opposite end of the village, rising up hundreds of feet in the air.

"I thought I had _killed_ her!" I exclaim in shock, gripping onto the edge of the doorway. Kaede looks over her shoulder at me sharply.

"You've seen this demon before?"

_Demon?!_

_'So_ that's _what she is…'_ I frown, stepping around the old woman. I watch on, horrified, as she continues to take out buildings, the women, children, and men alike screaming in fear as they rushed to find somewhere safe to hide.

"Where is it?! I know it's here! I can _sense_ it!" The demon's voice hisses above the chaos, and my stomach drops further knowing exactly what she was looking for.

 _'The Sacred Jewel. She's after_ me _. She still thinks I have it.'_ I realize, making a split second decision. I turn back inside, running over to where my bow and arrows were laying against the wall. I quickly clip on my quiver and strap on the arm guard, running back outside. I grab one of my arrows, loading it and drawing back my bow.

"What are ye doing?!" Kaede cries out in disbelief. "Your arrow cannot pierce her body!"

"It did before!" I reply, trying to sound confident and taking aim. I wait for the upper half of her body to appear, taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out. My arrow flies, and I watch in amazement as it seems to head directly for the demon's chest.

 _'Holy shit, if only Grandpa could see me now!'_ I think, before my grin falls as my arrow bounces off of her like a twig.

_What?_

"I-it worked before…in the well." I stutter out weakly to no one in particular, but my arrow has another less desirable affect.

"The _well_?" Kaede asks with a wide eye, before the large centipede's cry draws her attention away from me.

" _You!_ Give me the Sacred Jewel!" She roars, before launching the upper half of her body towards me. In that moment I figure I only have one choice.

_Run._

I turn, ignoring Kaede's warnings as I race away from the village. _'At least she won't be terrorizing them anymore.'_ I run alongside the river, hearing her massive body crashing after me. I can feel her getting closer and closer, my lungs burning for air and my legs crying out in protest.

I really should have worked on my cardio too!

I look towards the forest, my eyes centering on The Sacred Tree as it looms tall above all the other trees. Something deep inside of me made me feel that if I can make it to that tree, I'd be _safe._ I turn sharply from the river, running up the steep bank and making a beeline for it.

" _GIVE IT TO ME!_ " The centipede lady cries out from just behind me, and I find that's enough initiative to run a little faster.

"I DON'T _HAVE_ IT!" I scream back at her, too out of breath to manage any of the curse words I would have launched at her as well. Just as I make it to the crest of the hill the ground under me explodes, sending me flying head over heels. I skid to a hard stop, landing on my side facing away from The Sacred Tree.

" _Mayumi…_ " A distinctly male voice murmurs lowly.

A warm shiver runs throughout my entire body. I _know_ that gravelly voice.

I look up slowly, mouth dropping open in shock as I see the boy from before, but this time he was conscious.

It was _him_.

"Mayumi, what the hell are you _doing?_ Get up!" The boy barks at me, frowning as his amber eyes gaze towards the outline of the clearing. "This isn't over yet!" I find I don't have the effort to correct him, to tell him I'm not who he thinks I am, because he's right. Just as I struggle to stand the demon bursts through into the clearing, taking out large trees in her wake.

"The Sacred Jewel is _mine_." She hisses out defensively, obviously eyeing the boy behind her. I grab my bow from where it had landed near me whilst grabbing an arrow, and in one fluid movement notching it.

"Hit her in the heart!" The boy behind me commands, and something deep inside of me seems to come to life. I can feel it, some sort of warm energy, licking just beneath my skin. I draw my arrow back without a word, trying not to think of how badly this went the first time. I aim for her heart, before letting the arrow fly, watching in amazement as this time it's surrounded by that purple aura again. The half lady, half centipede dodges it at the last minute, the arrow striking just to the right of her heart. The energy around the arrow bursts, her skin burning away from the initial wound. Crying in pain, the monster slinking off, back into the cover of the trees.

"H-how did I _do_ that?" I whisper to myself in wonder, breathing heavily.

"Mayumi!" The silver haired boy barks at me, and I spin sharply to see him watching me with a calculated gaze. "I need you to get up here and pull this arrow from me. She'll be back, and she'll be _pissed_." He snarls, amber eyes now scouting around the area. Again I can't find the will or reason at the moment to correct him, and instead I find myself hooking my bow over my shoulder and climbing up the vines. I finally reach as high as I can go, having to get up on my tippy toes to actually reach the arrow.

"You're _not_ Mayumi…" The man suddenly growls low in his chest, and threatening sound. My hand snaps back instantly, leaning away. I look up to him as his amber eyes narrow at me in distrust. "You look _just_ like her. Who the hell are you?" I frown.

"My name is-" Suddenly the woods crash around us, and before either of us can react the demon's lower body is wrapped around the tree, squeezing us together. I grunt in pain as she tightens her told around us, working me up higher on the tree, and subsequently closer to the arrow that trapped the boy against it.

"Whoever you are, you don't stand a chance without me! Get this damn thing _out_ of my chest!" He demands lowly. I know he's right, and I try to focus on getting whatever air I can in as she gets tighter and tighter around us. I reach up, grabbing it firmly this time, yanking on it as hard as I can. Cold fear courses through me as it doesn't budge.

 _'I don't want to die!'_ I think frantically to myself, feeling dizzy now with the loss of air as I begin to unconsciously hyperventilate. A cry of pain leaves me as I can feel my bones bending under the force of her next squeeze.

"Take it _out_!" The boy commands, and suddenly I'm filled with that comforting warmth again, just like when I had shot the arrow just now. I groan and close my eyes, tugging at the arrow again.

That now familiar pulse rushes through the air.

My eyes snap back open as I look up, feeling the arrow disintegrate in my very hands!

 _'It's_ gone _!'_ I think in amazement, but there isn't much time for anything else. Just as suddenly as the arrow is gone, the tightness around us leaves. I drop to the ground hard with a grunt, looking around wildly. Why did she disappear like that? The boy jumps down in front of me as I stand, crossing his arms and looking at me with guarded suspicion.

"Who _are_ you?" He demands once more, frown on his face. I frown as well, taking a deep breath.

"My name is Yua." I reply softly, suddenly feeling timid as the boy looms over me. He's a head taller than m, making him even more intimidating. What was worse was that with his strong jaw and admittedly handsome face, _he was good looking._

 _'Not in a traditional way, of course.'_ I think to myself as I first eye the fangs glinting from just under his full lips, then move up to his captivating amber eyes, and finally landing on the silver dog ears sticking out over his equally silver hair. _'Cute boys always make me so nervous!'_ I think in embarrassment, and I can feel the flush working it's way onto my cheeks.

" _Yua…_ " The boy seems to test out my name on his tongue, and hearing him say it in that gravelly voice sends an unwanted and delicious shiver down my spine. "You _look_ like her, but you smell _entirely_ different." The boy comments, leaning forward and openly sniffing at me.

 _'After all this I must smell like a bag full of dirty socks!'_ I inwardly groan to myself, shame flaring through me.

"What's _your_ name?" I ask then, the boy leaning back then as a mixture of emotions passes through his amber eyes. He looked sad, disappointed even. It lasted only a split second before his guard was up once more. He opened his mouth, looking like he was going to respond, but the sound of trees breaking near us cut him off.

"Get behind me!" He ordered, pushing me back between him and the tree. He crouched low, a cocky smirk on his face as the claws on his fingers elongated just slightly. "If the bitch is right, and you have The Sacred Jewel, I'm taking it for _myself_!" He snarls in promise, and I blink in surprise.

 _'Oh, so he's not trying to protect_ me _, he's trying to protect this_ jewel _.'_ I think to myself, surprised at the disappointment I feel.

Then I mentally slap myself.

 _'What the hell?! I don't need someone to protect me! I can protect_ myself! _'_ I huff, grabbing my bow, remarkably unharmed from how she had squeezed us before. I notch an arrow, stepping to the side of the boy and taking aim. My sides ached, but I was still able to draw the bow back. "I honestly don't know what _either_ of you are talking about. I don't _have_ a jewel, and I most certainly have never seen a _Sacred Jewel_ before." I claim honestly, the boy looking at me from the corner of his eye. He watched me intently, as if trying to sense if I was lying. His nose lifts in the air, and his eyes widen minutely after a second.

"It's _inside_ of you!" He exclaims, and I blink in surprise.

Say _what?!  
_

I don't have time to voice my question, or my shock, before the centipede lady bursts through the clearing. Her tail takes the boy by surprise, flinging him to the side. I take aim as she races towards me, before letting my arrow fly.

It fell to the ground uselessly after hitting her.

"Oh _crap!_ " I exclaim, turning sharply to try and run. It was no use, though. Seconds later I felt myself being lifted into the air, and an incredible pressure directly in my side. It was followed by pain as her fangs broke through my skin, digging deep before thrashing her head back and forth once, twice, and with a searing pain my skin finally let go. As I flip through the air something glints, catching my eye.

A pinkish purple jewel sized orb.

 _That_ was the Sacred Jewel they were going on about?

 _'It came from inside of me! That boy was right!'_ I realize with shock. _'How long has that thing been_ in _there?!'_

Better yet, how had my _Doctor_ never seen it?!

 _'Note for Yua, get a new doctor.'_ I think hazily, the ground rushing up to meet me. I grunt as I hit her tail once before hitting the ground, the jewel clinking in front of me as it hits the ground too. Without thinking about it I reach for it, as if on instinct knowing that it would be bad for the centipede demon thing to get her hands on it.

"Give me the Jewel!" The boy shouts then as he runs back into the clearing, looking shockingly unscathed for how far he had flown. I blink in slight surprise, before frowning and clenching it in my hand tighter.

Why should I trust him?

"Yua!" Kaede's calls, and I look over in shock to see the old woman astride a horse with a group of men from the village fanning out to either side of her. " _Run_ child! Get away from Inuyasha!"

 _'Inuyasha? So_ that's _his name.'_ I think as the silver haired boy looks towards Kaede in annoyance. "Suits you." I mutter out loud. One of his dog ears twitches as he snaps back around to glare at me. He _heard_ me? He was still yards away!

"What did you say?" He demands angrily.

"Nothing!" I exclaim, holding the jewel to my chest with one hand, the other still holding tight to my bow. How I hadn't lost the thing during that demon's attack I would never know.

The centipede lady rears her ugly head again, rushing directly towards me.

"Give me the jewel!" Her voice hisses, clearly power hungry.

"No, give _me_ the jewel!" Inuyasha demands, rushing towards me as well. I look between the demon and Inuyasha nervously.

Before turning and hightailing it away from _both_ of them.

"What are you _doing_ you idiot?! You're going to get us _all_ killed!" Inuyasha gripes from somewhere behind me.

Then, as my nature would have it, I trip over an exposed root.

Crying out I land hard, the jewel launching from my hand and skipping across the grass. I watch in horror as the centipede lady races over me and leans forward over the jewel, taking that nasty tongue of hers and swallowing the damn thing whole.

"Well, _that_ can't be good." I mutter to myself, slowly getting to my feet once more. I grab another arrow, mentally counting down to figure out I only had five left. _'I've got to make them count!'_

"You _stupid_ girl! Look what you've done!' Inuyasha yells angrily, and skids to a halt beside me. I watch in horror as I see exactly what my clumsiness has led to this time. The centipede lady starts to vibrate, arching sharply against the ground as suddenly her skin seems to rip away. In place of her arguably beautiful pale skin there was now this garish purple skin with red marks. Her face had changed as well, going from a near human face to the like of something from horror films. She had big red eyes, no nose, and a mouth full of sharp and jagged teeth that protruded outwards from her face.

All that remained the same was that fucking _disgusting_ tongue.

"My power is complete!" The demon exclaims with pure joy, head ached back in triumph towards the sky.

" _Now_ you've done it." Inuyasha growls lowly from beside me, and despite knowing it wasn't really my fault, I feel shame wash through me.

"Well, what can be done to _fix_ it?" I demand then, notching my arrow.

"You can sit back and let _me_ handle this." He replies cockily, his clawed hand reaching out and pressing my arrow downwards, forcing down my entire bow. I blink, inwardly huffing, but knowing he was right.

I was _way_ out of my league here.

"You think you can stop me, child?!" The demon hisses at him as he steps forward, cracking his knuckles. Inuyasha huffs a laugh.

"Easily, you _hag_!" He exclaims, before charging towards her. I watch in amazement as he moves, almost faster than I can see. He leaps into the air, heading directly for the centipede's head.

" _ **Iron Reaver Soul Stealer**_ **!** " The silver haired boy shouts out, his claw glowing a yellow color as he arches his hand directly into the demon's mouth. That's the last of part of this battle that I can actually see, as the rest is a blur of silver and yellow as he runs himself directly down the monster's body from head to tail. I look around, slightly horrified at the sight of her body parts falling to the ground all over the place.

"Holy shit, this _can't_ be real." I mutter to myself in disbelief, before jumping in fright as one of the parts of her body near me move. "Why is it still _moving?!_ " I exclaim, jumping back from the nearest part of her, feeling like I could puke.

"Find the glowing flesh, quickly." Kaede comes up behind me. "That is where the jewel will be. It must be found at once, lest the flesh of Mistress Centipede revive." She explains, and I frown, quickly scouring the debris.

 _'Mistress Centipede indeed.'_ I think as I begin to search. My eyes land on a chuck of her tail that was glowing and I run over towards it, Kaede following me. I kneel down, feeling slightly squeamish as I dig through the meat, finally feeling the hard orb of the jewel. I pick it out, eyes widening as almost instantly the flesh of Mistress Centipede disintegrates, just leaving the bones like I had seen in the well before.

 _'What just happened? What_ is _this thing?'_ I think to myself in wonder, finally able to actually take a good look at it. My eyes widen as it finally comes to me. Grandpa had shown me something to it's likeness when I had first arrived at the Shrine, a souvenir he had created for those who visit. He called it the _The Shikon Jewel!_

"Only _ye_ must possess the Sacred Jewel." Kaede stands in front of me now, her gaze stern. I frown, shaking my head.

"Why was this in my body? Why am I the only one who can have it?" I ask, looking down at the jewel in-between my index finger and thumb once more. _'It's not like it would do me much good.'_ I add in afterthought, thinking of how it had affected the demon. I had a sneaking suspicion it wouldn't work the same way for humans like me.

The crunching of bone could suddenly be heard.

" _Exactly._ You have no use for it." Inuyasha agreed as he approached us, a strange glint in his eye. One that I wasn't entirely sure that I liked. "If you hand the jewel over right now I won't have to start sharpening my claws on you." He threatens, raising a clawed hand to emphasize his point. A deep pain resonates in my chest as his threat.

Why did I feel _betrayed?_

Shaking the feeling off I frown, tucking the jewel into my jean pocket, grimacing as I felt the blood that soaked the material. My blood.

 _'I'm going to need a bath.'_ I think to myself randomly. _'Do they even_ have _soap in this time?'_ I watch intently as Inuyasha stares at Kaede and I with determination, clearly not backing down.

Out of the frying pan and into the fire.


	3. Shattered

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Thanks so much for tuning back in! 
> 
> This is a much longer chapter, since I figured I had to hit on a LOT of points.
> 
> Thanks to those who have left a Kudo, and I would love to hear what you think about this story so far in the comments as well!
> 
> As always, I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha.
> 
> Onward!

I felt like my breath was frozen in my chest as the silent stare down continues, my quivering fingers slowly reaching for the arrows at my side.

"Don't even _think_ about it!" Inuyasha snaps viciously, his claws glinting in the moonlight. "I'd cut you down before you even had a chance!" The men started to rally around Kaede and I, surrounding Inuyasha. He doesn't seemed bothered, barely even giving them a glance as his cocky smirk remained firmly in place.

"Pay no heed to Inuyasha, child." Kaede advised from beside me calmly, and I lift a quizzical eyebrow at her.

"This so called _Sacred Jewel_ increases the power of demons, and you don't think _dog-boy_ here isn't motivated enough to kill us all for that?" I reply dryly.

"Hey! Who you calling _dog-boy?!_ " Inuyasha snaps indignity, his left hand clenching into a fist. I frown, looking back towards him. His silver hair glinted against the light given off by the multiple torches that the men were holding, almost giving him a halo effect.

 _'This guys is anything but an angel, though.'_ I think disdainfully. He had seemed like the good guy at first, but clearly I had seriously misjudged him. That same sharp prang of hurt from before hit me in the chest again at that thought.

What was _with_ me?!

"I hate having to wait, even more so because of a smart mouthed _bitch!_ " Inuyasha spits out angrily. I glare at him in return, meeting his amber eyes head on. Something flashes in them again as our eyes meet, but as soon as it's there, it's gone. He doesn't hesitate as he races across the clearing, and I turn to run out of instinct. I can hear his breathing and his quick steps behind me, mentally berating myself. Running was stupid; he was a _demon_!

I turn sharply, heart racing as I meet his murderous gaze head on once more. Suddenly, a now familiar warmth seems to wrap it's way soothingly through my veins, coming to the tips of my fingers. Instinct moves me, arms lifting up and hands facing outwards together in front of me.

 _ **'Feel that energy? Use it. Think of what you wish to help you and meld your energy to make it so.'**_ A soft voice echoes in my head, and without question I start to imagine a shield of sorts between myself and the silver-haired man as he leaps into the air above me. Just in time a purple haze appears between myself and the outside world, Inuyasha's claws scrapping off of it with a yellow flash like it was a solid barrier.

"How am I _doing_ this?!" I shout to Kaede, panic swelling inside of me. Who was that voice in my head? _Was I going crazy?!_

"Hold onto that barrier, Yua. Do not lose ye's concentration!" Kaede shouts in return.

" _Shoot him!_ " Some of the men in the clearing called out, others echoing the same idea. Arrows fly at Inuyasha, but with a swing of his arm they break against the material of his red kimono. He seamlessly cuts the two large trees on either side of the group of men, making them scatter as the trees fall with a loud crash to the ground. Gracefully Inuyasha lands on what was left of the trunk of one of the trees.

"Would do you think I _am?!_ " He demands in annoyance, looking down at them from his position of height.

 _'Talk about small dick syndrome.'_ I think dryly at the scene.

"You think you can hurt _me_ like I did that _centipede?_ " Inuyasha goes on, his amber eyes glaring down at the cowering men below. One of the men even turns to Kaede, spouting out nonsense at her, his eyes wide with fear. Calmly Kaede reaches into the folds of her kimono, fishing out what looked to be a beaded necklace complete with some sort of fangs that rounded it equal distances apart.

"Somehow I always knew it would come to this." She states resignedly, grabbing the necklace with both hands. I watch on in keen interest from under my barrier, even as Inuyasha leaps over me once again, his claws scraping against the surface. The necklace starts to hover before her as she clasps her hands together, index finger pointed towards her chin. She closes her eyes in concentration, and the necklace begins to glow purple and break apart, the pieces shooting away like purple glowing bullets.

"Get the fuck out of there so I can grab the damn Jewel!" Inuyasha shouts at me, and my gaze is redirected towards him. He looks furious as he stands outside of my barrier, before drawing his hand back. I feel my stomach drop, knowing without a doubt that he was about to unleash the same attack that had killed Mistress Centipede.

And I wasn't too sure my newfound powers could hold up to that.

All of a sudden the balls of light gathered around Inuyasha's neck, solidifying once more into the beaded necklace I had seen Kaede holding before. Inuyasha is momentarily distracted as well, looking down at the necklace as he grasps it curiously.

"What the _heck_ are these?" He asks in disgust.

"Quickly, child!" Kaede calls to me from across the clearing. "A word of subjugation!" I lift an eyebrow hearing her, before looking back to Inuyasha.

 _'A word of_ subjugation _…'_ I think, my mind racing as Inuyasha leaves the beads alone, instead reeling his hand back once more. My attention is inappropriately diverted to his ears, watching as they twitch, and the idea hits me at once.

" _ **DOWN BOY!**_ " I shout loudly, watching in shock as the beads glow purple and drag Inuyasha face first into the ground. My mouth drops open as the dust clears, Inuyasha sitting up and rubbing his head, looking equally as shocked as me.

"What the hell did you just do to me?!" Inuyasha cries out in annoyance, grabbing at the beads then and earnestly trying to shove them up and over his head. The beads would glow purple as he tried, not budging.

"Kaede has got some _moves._ " I murmur softly to myself in wonder, the barrier around me fading. Inuyasha looks up, his eyes glinting with murderous intent as he stands.

"Fine, I guess I'll just have to kill you to get this thing off!" He shouts, launching himself across the clearing towards me.

 _ **"DOWN BOY!"**_ I shout again, and I watch with silent glee as he goes face first into the dirt, sliding along the ground with the momentum of his charge being cut short.

"I'm sorry, Inuyasha, but even _you_ lack the power to remove it." Kaede chimes in, coming to stand next to me.

"Well see about that!" Inuyasha challenges as he hops up on his feet, glaring at the old woman. "I'd finish you off if you didn't look half dead already!"

" _The word_ please." Kaede speaks to me then, clearly unimpressed.

 _'Oh well, one more_ just _for fun.'_ I think, grinning. " ** _Down_. _Boy_.**" I emphasize the words this time, watching as he flattens into the ground once more with satisfaction. This time he stays face down in the dirt, groaning.

"Well then, shall we return to the village?" Kaede asks lightly, and I turn to her and nod in agreement. I look down at my side, wincing slightly at the open gash there. It's not nearly as gruesome as I had thought it would be, but it would definitely be sore for a while. "We'll get ye bandaged up and ye can get some rest. Ye need it after everything that happened tonight." Kaede added, having seen me looking down at my side. I nod once more, turning and following Kaede back to her horse. The men help her onto it, before she reaches a hand out to me as well. I hesitate, looking towards the face of the poor animal.

Could he really take _both_ of our weights? Not only that, but I had never ridden a horse before.

"Come, child, it's alright." Kaede encouraged, and I had to admit that sitting on the horse seemed a whole hell of a lot better than walking back to the village at this point. I grip her hand, surprised at the amount of strength her body still possessed as I pulled myself up onto the horse's haunches. With a simple click of her tongue we were off.

I couldn't help looking back towards the silver haired demon just one more time.

* * *

"There we go." Kaede finishes bandaging my side, and I smile gratefully at her. It had been a little awkward at first getting naked in front of her. She had allowed me to wear a borrowed kimono, the pants a dark purple in colour, and the top pure white. It didn't have nearly as much material as her loose priestess kimono, looking like it would fit more tightly to my body. I had been genuinely surprised being the bigger girl that I am how well the bottoms fit as I pulled them on, leaving my top off so that Kaede could look at the gash in my side. It was slightly uncomfortable to sit there topless, covering my chest with my arms as best possible until she had been able to work the bandage over my breasts and down. The most embarrassing part, however, had been when Kaede had discovered my bra.

 _"What_ is _this monstrous contraption?" She asked with indignity, as she held up the purple and black lacy bra. She seemed especially horrified with it as she noticed the red welts that the underwire and band had left in it's wake._

 _It may have been a_ little _too small for me._

_I blushed, even as I couldn't help laughing at her reaction, reflecting that it was good that the lady would never live to see a corset._

_"It's what we wear where I come from to help support our…our breasts." I explain, feeling my face flush a little at the mentioning of my fun bags._ Shit _, I should have called them_ that _and waited for Kaede's reaction._

_"Well it belongs in the fire!" She said contemptuously, and before I could protest she did just that, tossing it into the flames. The material burning brightly as it caught fire and I inwardly groan, closing my eyes for a moment._

_It_ was _too small anyways._

I wince slightly at the tenderness in my side as I shift the top half of my borrowed kimono over my shoulders, closing it shut and tying it.

"Ye mentioned the Bone Eater's Well before." Kaede frowns then, watching me intently. I freeze, looking over towards the older woman with uncertainty. "That well has been dry for centuries, but it is still shrouded in myths. One such myth tells of if containing the roads to multiple worlds." She hums, then turning back towards the fire and stoking it. I feel it then, knowing without a doubt that Kaede had somehow figured it out.

"You know I'm not from here, from this era." I murmur softly then in realization, the elderly woman nodding.

"Aye. How ye were dressed was my first clue." She smirked dryly, and I can't help a forceful laugh that leaves me. "Ye should rest, Yua. We'll have much to discuss tomorrow, and to rebuild." Kaede advised wisely, and I couldn't help feeling an onslaught of guilt knowing that people's homes had been destroyed because of me. She stands and moves behind me then, taking a scrap of material and putting my hair up in a ponytail for me.

"I'm so sorry about the village, Kaede." I apologize sincerely, the older woman smiling warmly as she finishes with my hair.

"We are used to rebuilding, Yua. I'm sure ye can find a way to contribute tomorrow." She replied, gesturing to the mat I had woken up on earlier. "Sleep, child." I nodded, my mind already hazy with fatigue. As I lay my head down Kaede exited to a room in the back, clearly her own bedroom. Looking up at the ceiling a sense of calm realization comes over me.

No, I'm _not_ home. I'm not even in my _time_ , but I'll adapt, just like I have had to do time and time again.

* * *

After Kaede had applied more salve to my side and redid my bandage, I had told her _everything_. It was almost eerie how well she took every detail I told her in stride, as if time travel was a daily occurrence. By the end, instead of being thrown in chains and cursed as a witch, I was set free for the morning. Stepping outside and taking a deep breath I first realized how fresh everything smelled here, and how clean the air felt. It was nothing like this in modern Tokyo, where the smog and pollution bore down on you constantly.

 _'We_ really _fucked things up in my time.'_ I think to myself solemnly, looking around at the people as they bustled about what was left of their village. Most homes were left somewhat intact, the men getting to work on rebuilding as the women handed food and water to them. The older children were helping where they could, while the younger ones tried their best to stay out of the way as they played. I frown deeply, remembering what Kaede had said this morning as she was re-bandaging me.

_"I couldn't imagine having to rebuild like this." I comment, the guilt washing over me again. Kaede nods in agreement, turning to wash her hands in the bowl of clean water._

_"We're going to have to get used to it now that the Shikon no Tama is back within our midst." She replied resignedly, and I frown in confusion. Seeing the look on my face she elaborates. "Other demons will be attracted to it's powers, and will come from far and wide once word has gotten out. Our village will have to not only rebuild, but fortify against these threats." She pulled her hands from the water, drying them. "And still yet there are humans, with the_ evilest _hearts of all. Their petty ambitions will drive them here along with their armies."_

I frown as I think about that while watching the children, wondering what horrors they would be subject to if the Sacred Jewel remained here. I look down at it as it hangs from the string that Kaede had given me, grabbing it between my thumb and index finger and regarding it in a new found light. This thing was dangerous to _everyone_ , and not just because of demons either.

 _'Speaking of which…'_ I trail off, turning to look back up at the roof of Kaede's house. There he was in his red kimono, silver hair floating lightly in the wind. His amber eyes didn't even flinch as my eyes locked onto them, staring back down at me stubbornly.

"What are _you_ doing here?" I can't help asking him, letting the jewel drop back down against my chest. I hesitate for a moment, before tucking the jewel into the folds of my kimono as well, just to be safe.

"Tch, you think hiding it _there_ is going to stop me?" Inuyasha asks slyly, a confident smirk on his face. I feel my own face heat up, glaring at him. Kaede had explained that Inuyasha's presence wasn't a problem, not while he wore her necklace around his neck.

 _'Even still, after yesterday I'm less inclined to take chances.'_ I think to myself. "Why do you want the jewel anyway?" I ask, genuinely curious. "You seem powerful enough as it is." Inuyasha looks annoyed once again, jumping down from the rooftop and landing on the ground right next to me. I step back out of instinct, once again aware of just how intimidating his form really was.

"Inuyasha is just a half-demon." Kaede's voice came from her doorway, and I looked over towards her as she emerges. "Half dog-demon, to be precise." I blink, my eyes turning back to the silver haired _half-_ demon and instantly landing on his ears.

"Woah! I guess I was right on the money deciding on ' _down boy!'_ " I exclaim in amusement, not thinking it through. I yelp as Inuyasha suddenly goes down beside me with a groan. " _Oh shit_ …right. I'm sorry!" I groan, his amber eyes turning up to me and looking rightly pissed off. He stands and dusts himself off, glaring at me before glaring at Kaede.

"I'm sick of hearing some dried up witch I have just met talk like she knows me!" He snaps at her in irritation.

"So ye _don't_ remember." Kaede discerned with certainty. "I thought as much. I am younger sister to Kikyo, she who bound ye to the tree." She explains then, throwing the dirty water from the bowl she carried to the side of her home. I frown, looking back to Inuyasha, and I'm surprised by the amount of hate I see in his eyes. He didn't even look _this_ furious when he had went up against Mistress Centipede. "I am Kaede."

"So you're the brat, huh?" He questions, his voice barbed. I frown slightly, glancing back towards Kaede.

Clearly this Kikyo woman was a sore subject for him.

"Fifty years have passed." Kaede points out. "And I have grown old."

"Well if you're _this_ old," Inuyasha muttered, scratching at his forehead, "Kikyo must be pushing _a hundred_. Sure glad I don't gotta worry about being old." He adds scathingly. "At least not for a while."

"Kikyo didn't worry either. Kikyo died." Kaede replies easily, and I watch in fascination as Inuyasha stills completely, looking almost frozen. "She died of her wounds soon after Mayumi." She adds, and it was then I see the rage reappear.

"Good." He hissed viciously. "She _deserved_ it." My mouth drops open in utter shock hearing him. I watch in fascination as the silver-haired half-breed leaps up back onto Kaede's roof, sitting cross legged with his back facing towards us.

 _'There is that name again. Mayumi…'_ I think, frowning. "Who _was_ Mayumi?" I ask softly, turning to look towards the older woman. Kaede gives a small smile, nodding silently for me to follow her as she begins down the main road of the village towards the outskirts.

"Mayumi was one of our village's greatest defenders, next to my sister Kikyo. My sister was the original protector of the Shaken no Tama." Kaede began. "Mayumi had exceptional powers that rivaled that of Kikyo's, however, she wasn't altogether human." _That_ peaked my interest. "She looked human in every sense of the word." Kaede turns to survey me with her good eye. "In fact ye look almost identical to her except for ye have green eyes. Mayumi had brown." She murmurs as a side note, before continuing on with the story as we walked down the road. "There was something in the air about Mayumi, in her very aura, that set her apart. We never found out just _what_ she was before she died." Kaede gave a sad smile. "As a priestess my sister held powers as well, and was known be compassionate to those she cared for, but those were few and far in-between." She admits, sighing. "She was cold with outsiders, and had a wrath like no other against demons, _except_ for Inuyasha." My eyes widen dramatically hearing that.

"She _liked_ that jerk? The same guy who _just_ had a small celebration about her death?" I ask in disbelief, pointing my thumb back to the village behind us where Inuyasha could still be seen sitting on top of Kaede's home.

"Aye, and he returned her affections." Kaede went on. "Ye might even say they were in love." We reached the riverside, and Kaede sat down smoothly, patting the grass next to her to signal for me to sit down as well. I did so without question, too interested to hear this story to walk away now anyways.

 _'Inuyasha, the one that tried to kill me for the sake of_ power _, is capable of something as_ selfless _as_ love _?'_ I think dubiously. "Might?" I question out loud curiously.

"Kikyo made it apparent from the very start of their friendship, even as it changed into something more, that she was reluctant to accept his demon side." Kaede frowned deeply. "Do not misunderstand me, for I loved my sister dearly, but I could also see her faults. She was presumptuous and hard headed, and stuck to her beliefs. She made it clear to Inuyasha that she would never commit to him completely while he still held onto his demon heritage."

"Wow…" I trail off softly, frowning. I was more than aware of the pressure to be something you're not for someone, and how it can manipulate you in ways you never believed you could be manipulated. There was a few moments of silence as we both stared out at the slowly running water before us, listening to the bubbling of the water and the grass as the wind brushed through it.

"Then Mayumi came into the picture." Kaede smiled softly. "She had always been there, just in the background. Mayumi was the opposite to my sister. She was open minded, caring, and trusting to a fault. She believed wholeheartedly that humans and demons could co-exist, and that Inuyasha was an example of that. Mayumi had made it clear from the first day of meeting the half-breed that she accepted his human _and_ his demon heritage, and it was because of this that Inuyasha began to drift from my sister." I tuck my knees up against my chest, wrapping my arms around them as goosebumps fill my flesh.

 _'Talk about the ultimate love story.'_ I think in awe, inwardly allowing myself to be pulled into the romantic story.

"When Inuyasha tried to leave Kikyo she reacted in a jealous rage, condemning both he and Mayumi. She killed Mayumi with an arrow to the heart, right in front of Inuyasha." Kaede sighed, tilting her head back to look up at the sky. "In his grief-fueled rage Inuyasha attacked Kikyo and took the Shikon Jewel with the intention of becoming a full demon just to claim his revenge on her. Before he could use it, however, Kikyo bound him to the tree with her arrow, dying soon afterwards."

"I can't imagine we're talking about the same boy I just met yesterday." I frown, Kaede laughing softly as she nods, before turning her one eyed gaze back to me. "He hardly seems like the type to care about anyone but himself."

"Aye. The Inuyasha from then certainly isn't the same as the one now." Kaede agreed. "But I have a feeling the old Inuyasha is still there, lingering just below the surface."

"So how do _I_ fit into all this? How did the Sacred Jewel end up inside my body if Kikyo was the original protector?" I ask, frowning. Guilt flashes over Kaede's face, before it's replaced with her usual serene expression.

"Before Kikyo died she asked me to burn the Sacred Jewel with her body. I burned it with Mayumi's in secret instead." Kaede admitted, my eyes widening in surprise.

"What made you do _that?_ " I ask.

"While I loved my sister dearly, Mayumi was everything a priestess _should_ be. Compassionate, just, and full of spirit and life." Kaede sighed. "I made the decision that the Sacred Jewel should be burned with the one who should have been protecting it all along." She looks at me seriously now. "Ye, Yua, are the reincarnation of Mayumi. Of that I am certain."

 _'Say_ what _now?'_ I think, even leaning back as my heart starts to race. "Oh boy, you have _definitely_ got the wrong girl." I shake my head. "I'm none of those things you said about Mayumi."

"Ye mannerisms are quite similar, actually. It's uncanny." Kaede smirks slightly, and I frown deeply.

"I'm _Yua_ , not _Mayumi_. I'm my _own_ person." I reply firmly. "Are you seriously trying to tell me that everything I am, who I am, is because of some long gone spirit of Inuyasha's dead lover?"

"Well, I wouldn't put it quite like that-"

"Well _I_ would!" I exclaim irrationally, standing from my spot. "Name _one_ thing that I actually share with this girl!"

"Well your looks-"

" _Other_ than my looks! That could just be coincidence!" I cut off the old woman, but she seems to take it all in stride.

"Ye have the same power as her, the same aura when ye use them." Kaede answers calmly, and I swallow thickly.

_She's right._

I had never had those powers before, so I know for sure they aren't mine. They only seemed to appear when I was in danger, or when Inuyasha…

When Inuyasha _commanded_ me to do something.

 _'That warmth that I feel around him, that pulsing energy…is that because of Mayumi's soul inside of me?'_ I think to myself, raising up my hands to look down at them in deep thought. _'It would make sense, she loved him after all. Maybe_ that's _what I was feeling all along when I was near the Sacred Tree or the old well.'_

Maybe that was where the dreams had come from? The reason for the sudden initial attraction, and the deep seated need to do anything he asked of me.

This is _fucked._

"Are you telling me that I'm not in control of my actions? That I never have been?" I ask softly, turning my gaze back up towards Kaede. She looks at me with sympathy.

"I couldn't tell ye, child. This is the first time I've ever seen a case of reincarnation. I would not know how to judge how much of ye is Yua, and how much is Mayumi." Kaede answered with brutal honestly, and I felt like my head was about to explode. "However, I _will_ advise that work often helps to cure a troubled mind."

"You sound just like my Grandpa." I reply dryly, dropping my hands down to my sides.

"Wise man." Kaede smirks slightly, and moves to stand. I quickly step over to her, giving her my arm to use to steady herself as she does. She gently pats it, giving me what I could only describe as a grandmotherly look.

"See? Compassionate. Another thing." Kaede grins, and I groan softly.

"You mean I was raised with _some_ semblance of respect and manners." I mutter in rebuke, to which Kaede simply gives a soft laugh and turns back towards the village. I frown, watching her go, my eyes instantly drawn up to where Inuyaha now rested on his side on Kaede's roof, seemingly relaxing under the sun.

 _'Relaxing while all the_ humans _worked hard to rebuild their lives.'_ I think with annoyance, making my way back to the village now as well. _'Whoever this Mayumi girl was, she sure had poor taste in men.'_

* * *

I wipe the sweat from my brow, breathing heavily as I straighten myself back up. Originally I had offered to help the men with roofing, but all of them declined out of, in my opinion, outdated acts of chivalry. So instead I took it upon myself to gather the boards that the men in the forest delivered in their horse-drawn wagons, and distribute them to the houses in need. When I had first started hauling the boards over my shoulder across town all the villagers had stopped and stared. Honestly I had found it pretty funny, but they soon lost interest and started to once again go about their own dealings. I honestly kept forgetting I was in an era where woman didn't do the same things we did in my time. Men were expected to do the heavy lifting, and a majority of the manual labor. Women were meant to watch the children, keep house, and help in the fields when necessary.

Speaking of which, a group of them were coming towards me now with friendly smiles on their faces. I pause, watching them curiously as they stopped in front of me, bowing their heads in respect. I blink in surprise, before quickly snapping myself to it and bowing my head towards them in return.

"Here, some fresh fruit and vegetables from our gardens." The eldest woman of the group steps forth, handing me a basket made from straw. Stunned, I reach out and politely take it while noticing it was filled to the brim. "We know it isn't much, but we wished to thank you in some way for helping to protect our village." I flush a little, her generosity making me feel slightly uncomfortable.

"It was nothing." I state weakly, inwardly wishing that I wasn't so awkward when it came to people giving me things. I just wasn't used to it. I was used to getting what I needed or wanted on my own.

Frankly, until moving to the Higurashi Shrine, I was used to being _alone_.

The women all smile, bowing their heads once more and leaving without another word. I watch them go for a moment, before looking down at the basket full of food.

 _'What on earth am I going to do with all this?'_ I think to myself, wincing slightly at how ungrateful I sounded. They had given me food right out of their own mouths after all. I swallow thickly, the uncomfortable feeling still nagging at my stomach. _'Oh well, what's done is done. I guess I might as well find somewhere to eat.'_ It was about time for a break. I take the road that leads me towards the river, noting a tree that would give off a lot of shade from the hot afternoon sun. As I get closer I see a flash of silver and red.

 _'Is that Inuyasha?'_ I think to myself, squinting my eyes. Realizing it was, I glanced down to my basket, looking back towards the looming tree. Company was still better than no company. As I got closer I dug out a peach.

 _'Something sweet to battle his sour attitude.'_ I think to myself in amusement. "Hey!" I call out, before throwing it up to him. He catches it in his clawed hand without even turning to glance at me, pulling it around in front of him and sniffing it. "Don't worry, I didn't poison it!" I joke lightly, and he turns towards me with his amber eyes narrowed.

"How do _I_ know that?" He demands suspiciously.

"Because you're not worth it!" I snap back easily. He makes a scoffing sound, before jumping down from the tree towards me. He takes a bite, looking thoughtfully at the basket. "If you promise not to be a jerk, I'll share." I sing to him, lifting the basket up and rocking it back and forth in front of him. Moving towards the tree I find a good spot in the shade, sitting down and silently waiting for his decision. As I figured he would, he came to sit down by me moments later while maintaining a healthy distance as he finished his peach.

"Whatever you're up to, I ain't buying it." Inuyasha suddenly breaks the silence, suspicion heavy in his voice. I frown, looking over at him then as I pull a pear from the basket.

"Do I honestly seem like someone with _ulterior motives_ to you?" I ask, biting into my pear. Inuyasha frowns, regarding me with a calculating stare, before huffing and reaching into the basket between us and pulling out another peach. "I mean, what do you honestly have against me?"

"Other than you withholding the Scared Jewel from me?" Inuyasha asks, his voice petty. He takes a large bite of his peach, and as I observe him more closely I'm suddenly hit with how human he looks in that moment. I can see it now more than before, the human side to his demon side.

"Well, you _did_ try to kill me for it." I reply evenly. "Maybe now I'm just keeping it out of spite. If you had been _nice_ to me I might have just given it to you."

"Really?" He asks, regarding me with surprise.

" _No._ " I deadpan, taking another bite of my pear. Inuyasha makes a noise of annoyance, taking another large bite. Silence hangs over us now, the only sound was that of us chewing.

Until I _bit my tongue._

" _Fuck!_ " I whimper, tears welling in my eyes from the sharp sting where my molars had bitten into my tongue on the side. Inuyasha let out a bark of a laugh hearing me, clearly amused.

"You may _look_ like Mayumi, but you sure don't _sound_ like her." He comments, and I still, looking at him curiously. Kaede's story comes back to me in a rush, and I can easily interpret that look in his eyes right now.

_Longing._

"Kaede told me." I blurt out then. "I mean, about Mayumi and you." I further explain, and Inuyasha stiffens almost instantly, the look of longing gone and replaced with a guarded stare.

"You shouldn't talk about things you have no idea about." He states angrily, before jumping back up to the branch he had occupied earlier. He points down at me, determination on his face. "Don't try and connect with me using her, it _won't_ work! I won't be drawn into a false sense of security just because you _might_ be her reincarnation!" I frown deeply, noting that he couldn't say her name this time. For a split second it I felt genuine pity for the guy. "Besides, you're not even _remotely_ as pretty as she was." He adds spitefully as he looks away and tilts his head back with superiority, crossing his arms. "And you're _fatter_ too."

 _'What did he just say?!'_ I growl to myself, his final comment setting me off. I stand, glaring at him as my hands clench tightly into fists. He is clearly put off that I didn't respond, having expected it, and he turns his to look down at me. A nervous look crosses his features.

_He knows what's coming._

" _ **Down boy.**_ "

With a yell he is pulled by his neck down off of the tree, landing face first on the ground. I'm so pissed that I don't feel any regret seeing his red face as he lifts his head weakly. _'Serves him right, the jerk!'_ I huff, standing and glancing towards the basket of food. I move to grab it, before hesitating.

 _"And you're_ fatter _too."_

I feel anger course through me, not at Inuyasha's negative comment, but at the fact that I actually hesitated to grab the food because of it. _'No, I won't let him get to me.'_ I think stubbornly, grabbing a few items from the basket and placing them by the tree trunk before gathering the basket on my arm. "In case you get hungry." I mutter, before turning sharply away.

* * *

**Inuyasha's POV**

I blink in surprise as I look from the fruit that Yua had left at the base of the tree, then towards the girl's back. Frowning I sit up slowly, shifting to cross my legs and my arms. Even after I had rightly pissed her off, she _still_ left me something to eat.

"Strange girl." I mutter, reaching up momentarily to scratch an itch by my left ear, before reaching for a pear she had left behind. I bite into it thoughtfully, reflecting on everything that had happened in the past couple of days.

When I had seen Yua for the first time, I had irrationally believed that it was Mayumi come to free me. I should have known better. After all I had _seen_ her die, held her in my arms as her deep brown eyes went dim. I had felt our connection break off, the warmth receding to the deepest part of me.

That was, until _this_ girl came into the picture.

I had lied to her earlier. Everything about her physical appearance was _just_ like how I had remembered Mayumi. From the reddish-brown hair that reached down to her hips, to her small nose and rounded chin. Even her body was built exactly as Mayumi's had been; curvy and sturdy, giving the illusion she wasn't fragile.

 _'And she_ wasn't, _not physically.'_ Inuyasha thinks to himself with longing. She had been the first person he had ever met that had accepted both his human and his demon heritage, and hadn't been afraid of him if he touched her. Even Kikyo would reflexively tense if he reached out her, or when he would kiss her. As a result it had made him a nervous wreck when it came to intimacy.

That was, until he had finally _seen_ Mayumi.

Mayumi had lived in the village for as long as he could remember. He had always known who she was, and that she was there. His infatuation with the priestess had given him tunnel vision, so he had never actually fully acknowledged her presence. Not until _that_ day, at _this_ very spot by the river.

 _I looked down at my clawed hands, squeezing them tightly into fists. I had_ scratched _her. It had been a complete accident, I had just gotten so caught up in her that I let down my control. Kikyo was_ furious _, and she had every right to be. I was a_ monster _._

_"Hey!" A voice calls out, and my head snaps towards the figure of a young woman. She was currently holding a jug, no doubt here to fill it with water for tomorrow morning. She was dressed in a purple and white kimono, colors that were unusual for a peasant to wear. Purple was usually reserved for royalty, and sometimes noblemen. Her reddish-brown hair wasn't up, and flowed in waves down to her hips. Other than her dress she was pretty plain, certainly not as pretty as Kikyo, but it wasn't her features that caught me off guard._

_It was her_ smell.

_It blasted over my senses, overpowering. The first scent that hit was of cherry blossoms, with an undertone of bamboo. It was the oddest mixture I had ever smelled, but a warmth filled me that caught my attention._

'What _is_ that?' _I wonder._

_"Uh, are you okay?" The girl asks as she steps closer, snapping me from my thoughts. I blink in surprise._

'Why is she moving _closer? Doesn't she know I'm a half-demon?_ ' _I almost take a step back out of instinct, but hesitate. Her heart rate was normal, she didn't smell of fear. 'Who_ is _this girl? I know I've seen her around_ somewhere _before…'_

_"Inuyasha?" The girl speaks my name, causing me to finally fully snap out of his own head._

_"You know who I am?" I ask in blatant surprise, and the girl gives a nod with a serene smile._

_"Of course. You're the half dog demon. We've met briefly before when I was speaking to Lady Kikyo." She explains with an easy shrug, before glancing towards the water. "Do you mind if I fill up while we talk?" She asks easily, lifting the clay jug as she does. She obviously takes my silence as a yes, turning towards the stream and setting the jug down. She grabs at the hem of her pant legs, folding them up to her knees. "So what's troubling you?" She asks as she works, standing straight and looking towards me once she has them rolled up. I frown, hesitating for just a second, before it comes spilling forth._

_"I hurt someone I care about." I state with heavy regret, and the girl frowns. She isn't frowning in anger or fear though, no. The expression on her face is that of_ sympathy.

_"You don't seem like the type of guy to hurt someone on purpose." She speaks up softly, and my ears twitch at the sound of her low, smooth voice. She reaches for her jug and starts to wade into the river._

_"How would_ you _know that?" I snap, feeling irrationally defensive. I was half demon! Half monster. Monsters_ hurt _people._

_"I've met my share of men who hurt people for sport. You're not one of them." She responds assuredly as she lowers the bottom lip of the jug into the water, allowing it to run freely in._

_"Where are you_ from? _" I ask then, concerned surprisingly bubbling forth at her answer._

_"Somewhere I'll never return to." She keeps her answer vague once more, and annoyance shoots through me. She stands up straight, lifting the much heavier weight of the jug with her from the river onto the grass. Sighing, she rubbs her bare feet against the grass to dry them, before rolling her pants back down to her ankles. Standing straight once more she looks at the jug with disgust, clearly knowing how heavy it's going to be to carry. She bites her lower lip, looking towards me._

_"Can you keep a secret?" She asks, and I can't help a suspicious glare._

_"Depends." I snap, crossing my arms. She grins, as if somehow knowing the answer was 'yes'. Raising her hand up, her brows furrow in concentration. I watch as her hand starts to glow a deep purple, eyes widening as the jug of water does as well, slowly levitating from the ground. A pulse runs through the air, her aura causing me to shudder as the warmth I had felt before intensifies._

_Was she a witch?_

_As the girl starts to walk away, I get the wits about me enough to ask one more important question._

_"Who are you?!" I call to her back as she makes her way up the steep bank. She turns to look at me with those brown eyes filled with mischievous warmth._

_"My name is Mayumi." She answers, before turning once more and heading along the outskirts of the village. I blink in surprise, the name echoing in my mind._

_"Mayumi…"_

Bringing myself back to the present I can feel the unwelcome emotion of grief welling up inside of my chest. Mayumi was gone, and I knew for a fact she wouldn't want me to sit here crying about it. Now that I've met her reincarnation, though, it was hard not to let the feelings overwhelm me once more. Looking towards the fruit that Yua had left me, I'm hit with another similarity between the two.

_Compassion._

I huff in annoyance, biting down hard on the pear. It would appear that Yua was more like Mayumi than either of us wanted.

Except for those really pretty green eyes.

* * *

**Yua's POV**

I had done my best to put Inuyasha's vicious words to the back of my mind, and had thankfully succeeded well enough to convince myself to have at least a carrot. The rest of the vegetables I figured I would bring home to Kaede's to make up some form of vegetable soup, and give her the fruits to eat as well.

 _'Woah.'_ I think then, pausing with wide eyes. _'Did I just refer to Kaede's place as_ home? _'_ I frown deeply then, homesickness hitting me hard in the chest as I thought about the Shrine, and about my family. _'I wonder if they know I'm missing? They have to by_ now? _'_ I chew on my lower lip. _'Or they think I've run away.'_ That probably wouldn't be too far out of the question for them to think of me. I sigh heavily, turning back towards the river to watch the sun as it began to set, the sky painted in pretty purples, pinks, and golds. I hadn't exactly been the most open person while I lived at the Shrine, and I had made it clear both directly and indirectly that I had no intention of setting down roots.

"I was such a _pain_ to them, and all they did was open their home to me." I think out loud with regret. What if I never got a chance to show them how much I appreciated their kindness?

I sigh heavily, returning to walking as I make my way back to Kaede's place. When I get there she has the fire stoked, her water boiling in the pot ready to add food to. Good timing.

"There ye are, child. I was starting to get a little worried." Kaede chimed from where she sat crossed legged before the fire. I wipe my bare feet as clean as I can before stepping up onto the wooden floor, holding out the basket of vegetables.

"You were right, working helped a great deal." I admit to her, Kaede nodding as she picks out some vegetables and pulls out her knife. The water in the pot was already boiling, and judging by the delicious smell wafting from inside she had already added some seasoning.

"I thought it might. Looks like ye were rewarded with more than just some peace." She adds lightly, and I feel a flush on my face as that uncomfortable feeling grips me again.

"Some women from the village gave this to me to thank me for yesterday." I explain bashfully. Kaede nods.

"Ah, yes, I imagine they are most grateful."

"Well they _shouldn't_ be." I frown deeply then, crossing my legs to sit like Kaede, fishing out the jewel from where it sat against my chest underneath my top. "If it wasn't for me they wouldn't have had Mistress Centipede destroy their homes in the first place." I turn the jewel in between my fingers, nearly mesmerized by how it shone in the firelight.

"I'm sure with working along side them today, you've demonstrated how sorry ye are." Kaede replies evenly. "Ye have earned their respect, which is even more important than their gratitude if ye are going to live here."

I feel my entire body freeze.

 _'Live here?'_ I think frantically. _'Really, though, what other choice would I have?'_ I frown, watching the fire intently. _'Where else could I possible_ go? _'_

The rest of the evening went by in a blur as I ate my food and made small talk with the elderly priestess. It all seemed to catch up to me as I lay under the blanket by the fire that evening, looking out the window at the twinkling stars.

_What if this is where I actually belonged?_

* * *

The sound of roosters had woken me in the early morning, and with my racing thoughts I found that I couldn't fall back to sleep. Instead of just laying there feeling lazy, I decide to grab my bow and remaining arrows, strap on my arm guard, and try to resume a familiar routine. I stepped down from the raised wooden floor, sitting on the edge as I grab a pair of black shoe looking things that Kaede had been kind enough to procure for me the day before while I had been out. They were simple, made of a soft leather and looked like modern day flats. I slipped my feet in, inwardly shocked at how well they fit.

Stepping outside I can smell the early morning air, taking in a deep gulp of it. It smelled of dewy grass and wet dirt, and my body instantly relaxed at the familiarity of it. Thankfully some things didn't change.

"Where are you going?" A familiar, albeit sleepy, voice asked above me. I looked up to see tired amber eyes looking right back at me as Inuyasha hung his head over the side of the roof.

"You look tired." I point out automatically, seeing the bags under the half-demon's eyes. Inuyasha scoffs irritably.

"It's because I was scaring away _vultures_ all fucking night." He replies irritably, and I lift an eyebrow, confused. "They were here for the Sacred Jewel." He thankfully elaborates. Surprised I glance down to where I felt it resting between my breasts under my shirt.

"It's starting _already?_ " I ask out loud, not really looking for a response. I clench the bow in my hand tighter.

"Well _yeah._ " Inuyasha replies easily, frowning. "What did ya expect?"

 _'A little more time.'_ I admitted to myself, sighing heavily, before turning away from the silver haired man.

" _Hey,_ where are you going?" Inuyasha demands, raising a clawed hand to stifle a yawn. Unexpectedly I feel myself melt a little at the innocence of the act.

"Practicing." I reply easily, lifting my bow for him to see. He raises an eyebrow skeptically, before rolling over onto his back and out of sight on the roof.

" _Good!_ You _need_ it!" He calls from above, and my irritation spikes.

 _'Why that flea-bitten…'_ I grumble angrily to myself, choosing not to respond, and instead heading far, far away from the asshole. Unconsciously my feet take me far past the rice fields, and to the edge of the forest. I look up at the looming trees, the Sacred Tree tallest of all above the canopy.

 _'I might as well see if I can find some of those arrows I lost.'_ I think to myself, glancing down to my hip at my quiver and the quickly dwindling number of arrows. "Grandpa never did get the chance to teach me how to make them." I frown deeply, before heading on into the forest. The path was easy to remember now, and before I know it I'm at the base of the Sacred Tree, the remains of Mistress Centipede now long gone-no doubt burned by the village people.

I catch something glinting out of the corner of my eye.

" _Gotcha!_ " I exclaim in victory, seeing one of my arrows laying in plain sight. _'How lucky was_ that? _'_ I think to myself, grinning. I walk over, grabbing my arrow and inspecting it for breakage. To my utter shock it looked pristine, even the fletching was undamaged. _'One down!'_

" _Well, well, well, well._ What do we have here boys?"

I turn sharply hearing a slimy voice from behind me, frowning as I see a group of eight men. Most were dressed in armor.

"That's the girl we're looking for!" Another voice shouts with excitement, the owner of the voice a bald man in a blue kimono. My eyes widen slightly, heart racing in my chest now. I mentally berate myself for leaving the village, and not heeding Kaede's words more seriously.

 _"And still yet there are humans, with the_ evilest _hearts of all. Their petty ambitions will drive them here along with their armies."_

I quickly flip my bow from over my body and into my right hand, fluidly notching an arrow and pulling it back.

"Stay back!" I shout at them, my voice coming off strong. _'Thank god, because my legs are shaking!'_ Then men laughed, and truth be told, I kind of expected that.

After all, even with a bow, I'm one girl against eight men. The odds were definitely _not_ in my favor!

"Put the bow down, honey." A man with black armor and what I can only explain as a goatee spoke up, his voice sending a shiver of disgust down my spine at the endearment.

"I ain't _nobody's_ honey!" I snap, before taking my aim at that man in particular and letting my arrow fly. It misses him, falling short right in front of his feet. _'_ Shit! _I can still work with that!'_ I think frantically. "Come any closer and next time I _won't_ miss!" I lie boldly, feeling a slight bit more confident as the man in question looks at the arrow, before looking back to me now with uncertainty.

_Then I feel it._

An unwelcome sensation flows through me, causing the hair on my arms and back of my neck to stand on end. It felt cold…it felt like _death_. It makes me freeze right there where I stand.

Then the _smell_ overtakes me. The _rotting_ smell of _decay._

 _'I'm going to throw up.'_ I think to myself, the combination of the sensation coupled with the smell overwhelming. A shadow all of a sudden appears over me, casting me in darkness.

"Hey there, boss! Told you we would find her!" A new voice calls out, and it's with chilling realization I realize that 'Boss' is standing right behind me. I spin around and jump away all in one fluid movement, moving more gracefully than I ever have before. Looking up I can instantly tell that he was what that smell was coming from. He even _looked_ half dead.

" _You know, something hasn't been quite right with boss lately_." I overhead one of the men whispering behind me.

 _'You_ think?! _Just_ look _at him! I don't even know him and I can feel something is wrong!'_ I think to myself, slowly backing away from his massive form as he clambers towards me.

"Give me the Jewel, _right now._ " He demands lowly, his eyes staring blankly ahead. Having not been paying attention, a couple man grab me by my arms. I glare at them, trying to pull myself lose.

"Let me go!" I demand feeling my panic rise with every step the large man takes to me. The 'Boss' draws his sword clumsily, waving it about as if he was _drunk_.

_'Oh_ **hell** _no.'_

"I SAID LET ME GO!" I shout, my panic reaching a new height. Suddenly I feel that familiar pulse of energy burst forth from my core, sending the men holding me flying feet away. I blink in surprise, bringing my hands forward for me to see.

_That purple haze is back._

The boss man chuckles darkly with amusement, clearly not concerned about his men. Instead he wobbles forward, and takes a very clumsy swing at me. I duck, hearing the men to the right of me scream in panic as they scramble to get out of the way.

"Boss, _boss!_ Where are you aiming?!" The bald man from before shouts out as he tries to grab a hold of me. "It's her! _She's_ who you want!" I easily shake him off.

"Can't you see there is something _wrong_ with him?!" I shout at them in disbelief, before seeing the steel of the sword glint from the corner of my eye. With reflexes I didn't know I had I ducked out of the way just in time, rolling to the side with to miss his next downward strike, and ending up in a kneeling position.

 _'Woah, where the hell had_ that _come from?'_ I think to myself, impressed. I stand quickly, hands still glowing. Looking at them I frown, before looking towards the troll as he advanced on me. Wildly I search for my bow, stomach sinking as I see it laying yards away.

 _'I wonder…'_ I hum to myself, thinking about how I had been able to manipulate the energy into a barrier the other day. _'Just think about what I want to create, and meld my energy to my will.'_ I paraphrase the voice from before, glancing down at the bow in my hands.

A wave passes through me, and I suddenly feel nauseous.

 _ **'Let me show you.'**_ A calm voice chimes, and I instantly recognize that voice from the battle with Mistress Centipede.

 _'It's you.'_ I think in amazement. The following moments I go through the weirdest experience of my life yet. I felt like I was in a haze as my right arm extends upwards and outwards, my index and middle fingers stretching out towards the sky and pressing together as the rest of my fingers and thumb remained clenched against the palm of my hand. I can feel the energy moving more freely through my body, focusing at the tips of my fingers as _whoever_ was now in control begins to draw my right arm downwards in an arch.

 _'What's_ happening _to me?!'_ I gasp, seeing the line of purple energy that appears in the wake of my fingers. My right hand moves and grips at the energy, shocking myself as it solidified into something physical in my touch. _'Not something, a_ bow! _'_ It's so weird to watch as my left arm now rises without my consent, reaching outward past the bow parallel to the ground. I can feel the energy moving to focus at the tips of the fingers of my left hand, similar to how my right hand had been moments ago. _'An arrow!'_ I realize as my arm draws back, as if I was drawing back my normal bow loaded with an arrow.

 ** _'Relax, breathe, let the energy flow through you. Don't fight it.'_** The voice reappears, and for some odd reason I feel all the tension leave me, the female voice calming.

Realization hits me like a brick wall.

 _'Mayumi?!'_ I gasp inwardly, feeling a warmth spread through me in response. It was her. She was _inside_ of me. _'How is this even possible?!'_

 _ **'Now isn't the time to dwell on it, Yua. You can**_ **trust** _ **me. Concentrate.'**_ Mayumi's voice replies urgently, and scarily enough, I do trust her without hesitation. Feeling some of the haziness leave, I take in a deep breath, realizing that this was all me now. I focus my aim directly at the center of the large man's chest as he advances with his sword held high. Hesitation courses through me, causing me to freeze.

 _Was I really about to_ kill _someone?_

 ** _'He'd kill you for the Sacred Jewel without hesitation, Yua! Shoot him!'_** Mayumi shouts at me from our connection.

And I let my arrow fly.

The purple aura shines brightly, light filling the clearing as it flies the short distance between myself and the eight foot troll. Satisfaction blooms inside of me as I watch it meet it's target, hitting him directly in the chest. His armor and skin below seem to disintegrate where the arrow's tip is embedded. My arms fall to my sides, feeling a strange sense of weakness wash over me, like I was drained of all energy. My legs shake, and I fall to my knees, unable to even hold myself up.

**_CAW!_ **

_'What on earth...'_ I think as I hear the sound of a crow. Seconds later my silent question is answered as a large bird _erupts_ from a hole in the guy's chest!

 _'Right where his_ heart _should be!'_ I realize with stunned disgust, noticing that it wasn't a normal crow either. This one had three red eyes, and was abnormally big. A crow _demon_?

" _BOSS!_ " One of the men shout in disbelief. Clearly they were all too freaked out as well to bother with me. Which was good, considering I couldn't even hold up my own body weight right now.

It happens before I can even react. The crow makes a beeline for me, claws extending outwards. I feel the impact on my chest, the scrape of his claws against my skin as it grabs onto the jewel and flies upwards, ripping it right from my neck.

"NO!" I turn sharply, a familiar head of silver hair bounding into the clearing. I'm surprised by the genuine amount of relief I have seeing him, and for some reason I could tell it was purely _my_ emotions right then. "What did you _do?!_ " He demands, eyeing the crow as it flies away.

Did he _not_ see the dead eight foot man just feet away? I saved my _own_ ass, thank you very much!

Inuyasha kneels suddenly, looking at me with determination.

"Get on." He demands, and I look at him in shock.

"What?" I ask, pretty sure that I hadn't heard him right. Did he want to carry me on his _back?_ _'I'm too heavy for that.'_

"I said **_get on._** " Inuyasha's tone changes, going much lower than before. Something in my very core warms, tingling all the way up my spine as I inexplicably find myself crawling over to him. I pull myself up onto his back, hearing him make a small grunt at my additional weight.

"Sorry." I apologize before realizing I really shouldn't have to feel the need to. The ear I had fairly well whispered into twitches, his one arm coming behind me to lock around my thigh, holding me in place as he stands.

"Shut up." He mutters in return, jumping over to where my bow was laying on the grass. He grabs it, handing it up to me before locking that arm around my other leg. I could feel his claws pressing against me through the material of my kimono, but instead of feeling apprehension, I felt an odd sense of safety.

"Let's go get him." He grunts, before I gasp as suddenly we're moving.

 _'Holy crap, he's_ fast! _'_ I think in shock, unable to stop from leaning further down against his back to avoid the wind burning at my face. I could feel the strength there as he moves, his muscles flexing with each long jumping stride he made through the forest. His hands were firm as he held onto me.

He wasn't going to let me fall.

We break away from the forest, heading along the river. Inuyasha jumps up into the air, and starts to leap gracefully from tree to tree, getting a higher vantage point to see.

"There it is!" I exclaim, easily able to see the abnormally large crow in the distance.

"Well what are you _waiting_ for?! _Shoot it!_ " He calls up to me irritably, and my eyes widen in disbelief.

"Look at how far it is away! I can't hit that!" I cry back to him.

"I thought you were an expert or something?!" He retorted sharply, and I felt my ego bruise a little.

"I had only just started learning before I got here." I mutter lowly, feeling shame creep over me as his eyed me with clear disappointment over his shoulder. Landing on the ground then, he took off running at an even faster speed, starting to close the distance more between us and the bird.

"This thing eats human flesh! Just think about what it's going to be like if it swallows the Jewel!" Inuyasha explains, as if this should be motivation enough to suddenly be an expert at the bow.

"Don't _jinx_ it!" I bite back in retort, before looking up at the bird, now clearly visible.

And to my horror, down the hatch the jewel went.

"You just _had_ to say something, didn't you?" I frown, Inuyasha looking up towards the crow as well with anger. I lean back, feeling his grip automatically tighten on me as he adjusted to the shift in weight, bringing the bow over his shoulder and notching an arrow.

"Mayumi was an excellent archer. Take it in _one_ shot!" He exclaims, and irrationally I feel a sense of intense pressure suddenly sit on my shoulders. It wasn't pressure about getting the bird though.

It was the pressure of having to live up to someone else I'm apparently supposed to emulate.

I draw the string back, groaning a little with effort. I was still feeling weak from before, but as I witnessed the bird growing in size I found myself suddenly _very_ motivated.

 _'Look at that thing!'_ I think in disgust as it roars overhead of us. _'It could carry off a small child!'_ Inuyasha jumps up into the air, and I take my shot.

Only to come up feet short of my target.

"Come _on!_ " He shouts out in annoyance, landing back down on the ground and continuing to run. I frown in irritation at him, but a thick feeling of disappointment in myself settles in my chest.

Why hadn't I been able to make that shot?

I look from the bird towards the horizon, feeling a sick sense of foreboding settle deep in my stomach. "He's heading for the village!" I cry out, gripping onto my bow tighter with one hand, the other gripping onto the material on Inuyasha's back.

"He's probably looking for his first meal." Inuyasha replies darkly, continuing to run in the village's direction. I could already tell we wouldn't be able to close the distance in time for me to take another shot, the bird was so much faster now it had swallowed the jewel. As we get closer I watch the dark figure of the crow duck down towards a low bridge, eyes widening in horror as I watch it clasp a little boy in it's claw, dragging him off with his Mother screaming in terror.

"He's got a kid!" I point out, Inuyasha scoffing.

"I can _see_ that!" He replies impatiently, and he moves impossibly faster. "You need to make this next shot. It's our last chance!" He calls over his shoulder as he closes the distance once more.

 _'It's the_ kid's _last chance. So long as I don't shoot him by accident.'_ I think to myself with a frown, not entirely comfortable with this gamble. I draw back the arrow once more, breathing deeply. "Come on, don't miss." I murmur quietly to myself, before releasing my breath and firing. I watch as the arrow misses my intended mark of the crow's body, instead shooting into the leg that was currently holding the boy. I watch in horror as the crow lets the boy go, his little body dropping down into the rushing river. The relief I feel when he surfaces with a cry is only momentary, knowing the boy would drown if nobody reached him in time.

"Inuyasha! The kid!" I exclaim when I realize that the half-demon wasn't slowing down.

"So _what?_ " He asks cruelly, and I'm once again stunned.

 _'_ Seriously, _what did Mayumi_ see _in this guy?!'_ I growl, before grabbing onto both of his ears and pulling hard. With a cry he skids to a halt, letting me drop back on my ass hard.

"What the hell was _that_ for?!" He shouts angrily, glaring at me. I, however, don't waste time. As I run to the river's edge I can hear Inuyasha muttering obscenities before no doubt taking off after the crow. As quickly as I can I slip my shoes off, dropping my bow and quiver on the bank. I dive into the water, swimming as quickly as I could over to the boy who was just barely holding his head above water.

 _'So_ fucking _cold!'_ I can't help inwardly gasping, the water feeling like thousands of knives digging into my skin.

"Hey, hey I got you!" I cry out over the rushing water to him, grabbing him around the waist. He's crying in fear, even as I pull into me securely and paddle back over to the side of the river. When I get there his Mother, along with a small group of villagers, are there to pull him out. I heave myself out and onto the bank, limbs shaking from having to fight the current so hard. Breathing heavily I look down river, watching as Inuyasha jumps over the expanse, reaching out with his claws.

" ** _IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!_** " He shouts loud enough for me to hear, his nails easily cutting through the crow demon. It's separated into several small pieces, falling down into the river now as well. I watch as he turns towards me after landing on a large boulder on the bank, his voice carrying over the rushing water.

" _GET THE JEWEL, STUPID!_ " He cries out angrily, glaring at me. I frown, snuffing him mostly out of spite before turning back towards the woman and her son.

"Thank you for saving me." The boy's voice wavers, obviously cold and frightened.

"Yes, thank you, thank you." The Mother bows her head, her voice cracking with emotion as she holds her son tight. I pause, watching the tender scene with envy.

" _HEY!_ " Inuyasha screams behind me, and I groan, turning sharply towards him.

" _WHAT?!_ " I yell back in annoyance. He looks pissed as he simply extends his right arm outwards, clawed index finger pointing downstream.

 _'Oh...'_ I think to myself, having forgotten Kaede's warnings from Mistress Centipede. _'The Sacred Jewel allows demons to pull themselves back together.'_ Inwardly groaning at my severe oversight, I watch the new and improved crow demon pull itself back together. Inuyasha leaps over the river, landing close to me as the villagers back away.

"Come on, he's getting away!" Inuyasha berates impatiently, clearly forgetting how useless he had found me before. I frown, nodding before climbing onto his back without hesitation. He runs by where I had dropped my bow and arrows before, grabbing them up and handing them back to me with his one hand. I frown deeply, Inuyasha gaining ground quickly. "Think you can hit it _this_ time?!" He asks irritably.

 _'You bet your ass I will. There is no way I'm letting this thing have another chance at another child.'_ I think to myself protectively. I blink, feeling the warmth from earlier return, though weaker this time.

All the same, I knew what to do by now.

I grabbed my bow, notching an arrow. I breath in as Inuyasha leaps into the air, concentrating on the feeling of that now familiar energy, directing it towards my arrow. My eyes widen as I watch it glow purple in color, before releasing my breath and shooting. We land, Inuyasha skidding to a halt on the ground as we watch my purple glowing arrow soar.

" _Holy shit_ , you _did_ it." He mutters in true surprise, the arrow landing it's mark directly in the body of the crow. I wince as a blinding purple light flashes out from the demon, his cries heard only for a split second before it explodes in midair.

Then hundreds of tiny streaks of purple flash away from his body in multiple directions.

"Uh, is _that_ supposed to happen?" I ask, turning towards Inuyasha with a frown. He looks equally confused as he turns his gaze from where the bird used to be towards me.

"Where do you think it landed?" He asked instead, clearly his mind on one thing only. I hold in a sigh, before looking towards the area that the bird demon had been hit. There was a patch of trees just below where I could best guess the jewel would have landed.

"Over there." I point towards the area, and silently we set off, the sun hanging low in the sky by the time we get there. _'Is the day really almost over?'_ I think to myself in amazement then, before glancing towards Inuyasha as we walked, the golden rays illuminating him.

 _'So handsome…too bad his personality isn't as attractive.'_ I think to myself with disappointment, a self pitying thought quickly following. _'Not that it would matter, he's already said I'm ugly.'_ I shake the thought away as quickly as it came, walking into the bushes with him.

"Are you _sure_ it landed here?" He asks after a few moments of looking around. I frown, nodding as I try to catch a glimpse of the glowing orb. I could feel something pulling me here, something deep in my stomach that had gotten stronger the closer we had walked to this location.

"Positive." I reply, even though frankly I wasn't. I frowned as I walked around a bush, before something glinting in the fading sunlight catches my eye. My eyes widen as I see what it is.

"Oh crap." I mutter, but it's easily loud enough for Inuyasha to hear.

"What? What is it? Have you found it?!" He demands eagerly, rushing over towards me then. I swallow thickly.

_I am in so much trouble._

"Please _don't_ be mad." I beg uselessly, grabbing onto the shard that was sticking out of the dirt and hesitantly showing it to him.

Inuyasha promptly blows a gasket.

* * *


	4. A Hairy Situation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!
> 
> Thank you SO MUCH CatNapTime, Wolvesnight, and LunaDeath1 for leaving Kudos for this work! I really appreciate it :).
> 
> Onward!

I finally managed to convince the irate half demon to follow me back to Kaede's, hoping that she might have some answers for the both of us.

"What did she _do_ to it?!" Inuyasha demanded of the old woman as we sat around the fire, all staring at the shard currently pinched between my index finger and my thumb. On instinct my shoulders hunch up towards my ears as I curl backwards away from the irate man, his fangs glistening in the firelight.

"Stop _barking,_ Inuyasha." Kaede frowned with annoyance. Being ever observant she had probably seen me recoil.

"I should have known she'd end up breaking it!" He goes on, talking about me as if I wasn't even in the room. I frown deeply, narrowing my eyes at him.

"I'm right _here,_ you know. If you're going to yell _about_ me while I'm in the room you might as well just yell _at_ me." I point out, the amber eyed half-demon rounding on me then. He opens his mouth, looking ready to let me have it.

Until he hesitates, his eyes wavering slightly.

I watch, trying to keep my face schooled as he backs down. I feel that now familiar warmth spread through me, bubbling under my skin from head to toe.

"What is done is done." Kaede speaks up after a moment of silence, glancing from me towards Inuyasha. "As ye saw, the jewel has now been scattered into many different pieces. One hundred? One _thousand_? Who knows?" I chew on my lower lip, looking from the elderly priestess down to the small shard in my fingers. "Yet however many shards there may be, all it will take is one in the wrong hands to bring disaster." She warns us, and I can't help a chilling shiver that runs down my spine. Mistress Centipede, the crow…had that only been the beginning?

"I had no idea I could even _do_ whatever it was that I did." I frown, thinking about the energy that had flowed through me before. _'And Mayumi, how on earth had she been able to talk to me,_ guide _me?'_ I ask myself as I think about the bandits from earlier. I didn't want to voice this question out loud yet. I was only just coming to terms with her presence in my mind, let alone bringing others into the ordeal.

"I know." Kaede replies soothingly, before frowning. "But only by working together with Inuyasha will ye be able to recover all the shards of the jewel." My mouth drops open in complete shock.

"Say _what_ now?" I ask, glancing towards Inuyasha to see his reaction. He looks even less than impressed than me. "I mean, I'm all for fixing my mistake, but with _this_ guy?!" I ask dubiously, pointing my thumb in his direction.

"Hah, feelings mutual!" Inuyasha huffs irritably. "Besides _I'm_ one of the wrong hands you were talking about. What makes you think I'm good for the job?"

"Oh, aye, that I know too well." Kaede sighs, looking resigned. "But if ye have any hope of taking the Sacred Jewel in it's completion for ye own plans, then this be the only way to accomplish that. A shard won't mean much to ye, but the entire jewel on the other hand will give ye the power that ye crave."

"And when we find all the shards?" Inuyasha asks, lifting an eyebrow.

"Then I shall deal with ye _myself._ " Kaede presents the challenge without hesitation. Inuyasha laughs, clearly not taking the threat seriously.

"Alright ya old hag, deal." He smirks, leaning back against the wall and folding his arms over his chest. I frown then, looking towards Kaede, still confused on my part of this whole plan.

"So where do I come into this? How on earth can _I_ help?" I ask then, wondering what good I would do.

"Did ye not sense that shard earlier?" Kaede asks simply, poking at the fire as the flames crack to life once more. I frown, thinking back on it.

"I-I think I might have. There was this pull, deep in my stomach. The closer we got, the stronger it became." I admitted, placing my hand over my stomach. Kaede nods.

"Ye will have to sense it for Inuyasha, and he shall help you defeat whatever foes may step in the way." Kaede sighed, before moving to stand. "No doubt we will start to hear of unusual activity. Where that activity happens, ye and Inuyasha shall go." She turns then, offering a goodnight to the both of us before stepping into her room. I frown, looking over towards the boy then as I spin around to face him completely, legs crossed. He looks at me with a raised eyebrow.

" _What?_ " He snaps. I sigh heavily.

"Listen, I'm sorry about today. I'm sorry I wasn't a better shot, and that I had trouble keeping up." I frown, watching as he looked at me strangely. "I'll do better, I'll _get_ better. You just need to ease up a little and give me a chance, yeah?" I frown deeply then. "And _please_ stop comparing me to someone I've never even met. It's unnerving." I mutter, before turning and crawling on all fours into my makeshift bed. I get under the covers, facing away from Inuyasha, not wanting to see his reaction to everything I had just said. Closing my eyes, one last crucial thought goes through my mind.

_'I really need a bath tomorrow.'_

* * *

Kaede was kind enough to take me to a local bathing spot, having assured me that no-one would be there the time of day we were going. I was never into community bathing in _my_ time, let alone here. I had been hesitant at first to take my clothes off, double checking around the ridges that surrounded the private pond. There was a beautiful, but small, waterfall that fed the pond from the river and the crystal blue water looked clean and inviting.

"It's alright, child." Kaede soothed after seeing my hesitation. "Undress so that I can help ye with the bandages." I nod, feeling a little more relaxed as I loosen my top, shoving it off of my shoulders. I let the material hang at my waist, caught my where my bottoms were still tied up. Kaede approaches behind me, undoing the bandages and gently unwrapping them. As the scraps of cloth fell away, Kaede clicked her tongue.

"Looks as if ye have started to heal nicely." She comments happily as I place my arm over my now exposed breasts, holding them and hiding them at the same time. Without the binding I could feel the weight of them again, and it wasn't the most pleasant feeling for my back. "I acquired you a more suitable replacement for that contraption from before." The older woman notes as she eyes my arm across my chest. I flush a little, smiling thankfully before Kaede steps back and goes about making a fire to boil water for my clothes. I place them as neatly as possible beside her, thanking her again profusely for washing them for me.

 _'Where would I be without this wonderful woman?'_ I think to myself gratefully, accepting what looked to be a bar of soap and some oils.

"The bar is for ye body, the oils for ye hair." Kaede explains as I look at them quizzically. I flush a little, nodding in thanks before quickly rushing to the water's edge. If I had been covered in some sort of bathing suit I might have taken my time getting used to the water, but as it was I wanted to be submerged as quickly as possible just in case Kaede was wrong about the privacy here. I set the bar and oils on the rock I was standing on, before diving straight on in.

 _'Cold, cold, **cold!** '_ I nearly gasp underwater, barely holding back the instinct as I surface breathing heavily. The bottom was sandy, the water reaching just above my nipples where I stood. It took a few moments, but once the cold wore off I actually felt _relieved._

 _'So_ this _is what it feels like to be clean.'_ I think to myself sarcastically, wading over to the rock and grabbing the bar of soap first. I run it over my arms and chest above the water, before moving behind the rock where it was shallower and sticking my legs up out of the water so I could wash them as well.

 _'Ew, I look like a hairy beast!'_ I think in disgust, seeing the leg hair. _'I don't even want to think about what is going on in my armpits.'_ I sigh, reflecting on how much I had taken shaving for granted back in my time. Even despised it. _'What I wouldn't give for a razor_ now.' I frown, placing the bar of soap on the rock then and grabbing the oils. I open the small clay vial, pouring some out into my hand. Bringing it to my nose I take a sniff, pleasantly surprised by the floral aroma. _'Is that cherry blossoms?'_ I think, before shrugging my shoulders and working the oil into my hair from root to tip. I leave it in for a while, leaning my head back to rinse it clean before allowing my body to drift to the surface, floating.

"This isn't so bad." I hum to myself, staring up at the sky as I comb through my hair floating behind me.

"You're telling _me._ " A distinctly male voice suddenly calls from above. I flounder, instantly feeling my face go beat red as I plunge my body back down into the water to my shoulders. Looking around frantically, I finally land on the pervert the voice belonged to.

And I'm well and truly shocked.

" _Inuyasha?!_ " I exclaim, eyes wide. Why on earth would Inuyasha be spying on _me?!_ I'm so flabbergasted at the prospect that a guy who apparently hated my guts had actually went out of his way to see me naked, that I can hardly get over the shock long enough to be rightly pissed.

"Inuyasha!" Kaede scolds as she stands from where my clothes were currently boiling in the water. "Have ye no _manners,_ boy?!" She demands as she turns to the silver haired half-demon on the ridge above, his amber eyes drawn from my now submerged form towards the old lady. As Kaede said 'boy', it triggered me into action.

" ** _DOWN BOY!_** " I scream with a new aggression, watching in satisfaction as he falls from the ridge and hits the ground below hard. Kaede laughs, before turning back towards the pot with my clothing and sitting down once more, using a large spoon to push the material around.

"Oh _man_ , I forgot about this stupid necklace." Inuyasha complains as I use the time he's distracted to rush from the water, grabbing the light yukata Kaede had brought for me to dry in. I wrap it around myself, tying off the knot quickly, before walking over to the two.

"Why were you even _looking?_ " I demand with a frown, glaring down at him. He jumps to his feet, glaring right back at me.

But I can see a touch of red on his cheeks.

"I wasn't looking at _you!_ " He insists, crossing his arms and turning his head upwards haughtily. "Get over yourself."

" _Really?_ " I question, raising an eyebrow as I cross my arms. I may have low self-esteem, but not low enough to think a guy wouldn't take a look if he was presented the opportunity. Besides, why would Inuyasha have come all the way out here?

"Really!" He responds stubbornly.

"Then why _are_ ye here, Inuyasha?" Kaede asks calmly from beside us on the ground, and Inuyasha clearly hesitates.

"Well, it's to make sure the jewel shard is safe!" He explains, sounding unsure at first, before finishing the sentence confidently.

"Ye mean, _this_ one?" Kaede asks smartly, holding out the silk sack that now contained the single shard. She lifts my pants out from the water with the spoon, the material steaming from the heat, before placing it on a nearby rock to cool. I wait a few moments before taking it and walking over to the makeshift hanger, threading my pants over the wooden pole. I hope desperately that the clothes dry sooner rather than later.

"You think you're pretty smart, you old hag." Inuyasha growls lowly in irritation from behind us, Kaede taking the last of my clothes from the pot. I frown, moving over and grabbing the last articles of clothing before glancing towards Inuyasha.

"And _you_ think you can do this on your own, when you can't." I point out, frowning. "You need me, so get over it." I sigh, feeling a headache coming on from all the excitement.

"I can put up with anything for the jewel." He bites back, and I feel my head throb with the impending argument I could sense brewing.

To think I thought having a bath would be _relaxing._

* * *

Most of the afternoon goes by before my clothing is finally dry, thankfully smelling less like dirt and body odor. Kaede had been kind enough to instruct me on how to do a proper binding for my chest, and I found I enjoyed the more even distribution of pressure over my top half the wrappings gave compared to my bras.

' _At least I'm not being constantly stabbed by underwire.'_ I think to myself as I change behind the bushes. Once fully clothed I move around into the rocky clearing, Inuyasha's eyes narrowing at me instantly.

" _What?_ " I snap at his look, frowning. It was like just looking at me I had personally insulted him.

"I hate you in those clothes." He answers callously, and I frown in confusion.

What the hell did he mean by _that?_ Then realization clicks.

 _'These are_ Mayumi's _clothes.'_ I think to myself frowning, remembering Kaede having mentioned it to me earlier. A twinge of jealously hits me hard, but it's gone before I can really register it. "Well they are the only clothes I have right now, so you're just going to have to get used to it." I reply unsympathetically. Inuyasha blinks, having clearly not thought I would say that, before he _'humphs'_ and looks away.

 _'Am I really_ that _horrible to look at?'_ I think irritably. When was the last time a boy had made me feel so insecure?

"Lady Kaede!" A woman's frantic voice can be heard as she rounds the bush towards us. "It's my daughter!" Kaede meets her halfway, a worried look over her face. Frowning I watch on in concern, Kaede soon turning back towards us both.

"I'll be checking on ye two later, try not to fight!" Kaede calls over her shoulder at us, before both she and the lady disappear back around the corner once more.

 _'_ I'm _not the issue.'_ I look over towards Inuyasha as he turns his head towards me, amber eyes watching me with an unreadable look. He blinks once, before what he says next somehow doesn't shock me.

"I'm _serious_ , take those clothes off."

I groan, tilting my head back in exasperation. _'I'm not dealing with this guy's hangups.'_ "Tell you what, I'm going to catch up with Kaede and see if I can be of any help." I frown, gathering everything up, including the tiny silk sack containing the jewel shard. Inuyasha scoffs in amusement at that.

"Good, maybe you'll get sick and I won't have to take you with me to find the other shards." He says in a sarcastically ecstatic voice. I roll my eyes, frowning as I turn to look at him.

"Do you think _Mayumi_ would be happy to hear you wishing others harm over something as trivial as _power?_ " I snap, instantly regretting it as Inuyasha seems to lose all the fire from before, looking away. His entire posture shrinks, looking like a kicked puppy. I try not to feel too guilty about it as turn and continue back to the village.

 _ **'He needed to hear that.'**_ Mayumi's voice echoes in my head, and I find this time I don't have the energy to freak out about it.

 _'How are you in my head?'_ I ask instead, using this time wisely to try and get some answers.

_**'I'm a part of you, Yua. Have been since you were born. I could only break past your natural barriers after you had come back to my time. After the Sacred Jewel regained it's powers.'** _

_'Barrier? So does this mean now that you've broken through you're here to take over?'_ I can't help asking, feeling my heart rate spike slightly.

_**'No, Yua, never. My time has come and passed. The only reason I took over your body yesterday was to** _ **save** _**you. It drained a lot of my energy, and the energy I have** _ **isn't** _**infinite without having a physical body of my own.'** _

_'I never even thanked you for that.'_ I think regrettably, frowning. _'So what are you saying then?'_

 _ **'That with the continual use of my powers I will eventually fade from your conscious and my soul will finally find peace.'** _Mayumi replied, her voice calm. _**'Before that happens I want to teach you how to use our powers.'**_

 _'_ Our _powers? Hasn't this all been_ you? _'_

_**'You have the same powers I do, only they have been locked away along with the power of the Shikon no Tama until you had fallen into the Bone Eater's Well. Your energy will continue grow as you train with me, and by the time I fade completely you will have mastered them.'** _

_'There must be some other way? Some way we can save you?'_ I frown, feeling a deep sorrow in my gut for this woman I barely even knew. _'Inuyasha misses you, he_ needs _you.'_

 _ **'And I miss him terribly too. However, as for needing me, I feel that might change over time.'**_ Mayumi finishes with a cryptic tone, and my brows furrow in confusion.

 _'What does_ that _mean?'_

 ** _'We shall discover that together.'_** She responds, and I can feel her warmth receding slowly.

 _'_ Wait! _Just one more question.'_ The warmth steadies, indicating to me that she was still listening. _'You aren't human. So what_ are _you?'_ I can't help asking. A tinkling laugh fills my head, before the warmth is disappears completely. I freeze in place, frowning as I look down to the ground then in thought.

What on earth was happening to me?

Screams suddenly erupt from the village ahead, my head snapping up in alarm. "What's going on?" I frown, taking a step forward.

A sharp sting slides across my cheek.

Wincing I bring my hand up to where my cheek now throbbed, pulling it back and seeing a small amount of blood on my finger tips. Eyes widening I look around, before I focus in on what now surrounds me. There were hundreds of thin lines overlapping each other in every direction around me for as far as I could see, like a _spider's web._

 _'Except it doesn't look that…it looks like_ hair. _'_ I think in amazement as I reach forward to touch one of the nearby strands, only feet away from me.

"Oh my, oh me!" A smooth woman's voice comes from above me. I look up, frowning as I see a woman dressed in a short black kimono standing on one of the lines. The top of her kimono did little to hide her breasts, just two scraps of cloth connecting to the short skirt below. Having a sneaking suspicion, I look up further to be met with blood red eyes.

 _'_ Another _demon?'_ I groan inwardly, wondering at my luck. _'Though this one is pretty._ ' Her short back hair framed her pale angular face, skin free of any kind of blemishes. She looked far more human than the last two demons I had encountered.

That didn't really put me at ease, though.

"You can see it then? My net of hairs, I mean." The woman elaborates, sounding impressed. "Pity, because seeing is not enough."

"What the hell do you want?" I demand, feeling Mayumi's warmth re-emerging slowly from deep in my core. I felt comforted and bolstered at the same time, trusting after everything she had done for me thus far that Mayumi had my back.

"Well how _rude._ " The woman chimes, a small smirk on her blood red lips. "The Mayumi _I_ knew would have at least let me introduce myself first."

 _'You_ knew _this creep?'_ I can't help thinking to my predecessor, feeling annoyance spark from her.

**_'Regretfully, yes.'_ **

"I don't _care_ to get to know you, lady. It's best you let me go!" I frown up at her, surprising even myself with how threatening I sound. _'You're doing wonders for my self confidence.'_ I let Mayumi know.

"Hah! Or what?" She looks down at me with superiority, placing her hands on her hips. "You're trapped, in case you didn't notice?" I can feel Mayumi more clearly as my energy builds, that familiar feeling of warmth now rising to bubble just below the surface of my skin. The woman suddenly looks unsure of herself, taking a step back.

 _ **'She can feel your aura increasing in power. You're intimidating her.'**_ Mayumi's voice explains in a hurry. _ **'Force your energy outward. Cause a distraction so you can get away.'**_ I frown in confusion, about to reach for my arrows instead.

Before freezing when I realize I had left them and my bow back in the village.

I concentrate on the energy then, before letting out a yell as every muscle in my body clenches and it pulses forward in a great wave, my aura nearly blinding.

_**'** _ **RUN** _**, YUA!'** _

I don't need to be told twice. Turning I weave my way through the trap as quickly as I can, feeling some of my clothing tear against the sharp strings of hair. Stumbling out of the net I don't look back as I race towards the safety of the village.

Or, at least I _thought_ it would have been safe.

As I run down the main road I look around wide eyed, the women all seeming to float about me. I stop, regarding the village women with uncertainty, my eyes narrowing when I see a silvery gleam. It was that demon's _hair_ , and it was attached to each of the women's wrists. I take note soon after that every one of them was holding some sort of tool that could be used as a weapon. Large knives and scythes seem to make up the majority.

 _'It's like they're_ asleep. _'_ I frown, looking at the woman closest to me. Her face showed no signs of expression, eyes closed. _'Seriously, who_ is _that demon?'_

 ** _'Her name is Yura Of The Demon Hair.'_** Mayumi's voice responded, sounding tense. _**'She can manipulate the hair of the dead, and use it to control weaker humans.'**_

 _'So these women aren't even in control of their own bodies?'_ I watch intently as they seem to float closer, a woman in the yellow kimono holding a scythe high up above her head. _'Yura is a_ coward. _'_ I frown deeply, tensing and taking a step back.

Suddenly Inuyasha is there, landing directly in front of me.

He takes a defensive stance, hands up and claws at the ready, and I panic, realizing he had no idea what was going on. Reaching forward I place my hand on his shoulder.

"Inuyasha, _wait!_ They aren't in control of their own bodies!" I frown deeply, watching them from over his shoulder.

"Huh, I thought something seemed off. These are the girls from the village." He murmurs, stance thankfully relaxing. "Why are they floating around like that?" He frowns in confusion, and my eyes widen slightly.

"Can't you see the hair?" I ask, bewildered. It was _everywhere!_

"Hair? _What_ hair?" He frowns, his head looking rapidly from side to side. I open my mouth, about to answer, before Kaede's voice can be heard.

"Inuyasha, wait! Do not harm them!" Kaede cries out weakly, crawling across the ground. My heart leaps into my throat in worry as I immediately see that she is injured, blood soaking her right shoulder through her kimono. "Tis not their doing!"

"Kaede!" I frown deeply, moving to step around Inuyasha and go to her. Inuyasha's arm snaps out, stopping me before I can. Instead he wraps that same arm around my waist, jumping up into the air with me like I weighed nothing. He lands down beside her, and I instantly kneel down on the ground to look at her wound.

"You've been cut!" I worry, the wound clearly made by a large knife. "Did they hurt you?!"

"Not on _purpose._ " Kaede insists weakly.

"Well it's looking like it's them or us!" Inuyasha states evenly, turning to face the girls as they slowly floated our way again. "And I choose _us!_ " He claims, the threat hanging heavy in the air.

"They are being controlled by a demon called Yura!" I blurt out then, frowning. "I ran into her just now, but I managed to get away. I was coming here to tell you about her, Kaede." I look from Inuyasha's back to the wounded priestess. Inuyasha frowns, looking down at me sharply from over his shoulder.

"Did she get the jewel shard?!" He asks sharply, and I just barely hold in my annoyance at his callousness.

" _No._ " I bite out, before frowning as I stand. "We need to get you on your feet." I murmur softly, before slowly helping Kaede up. I wrap her good arm around my shoulders, my other arm around her waist. "We need to get back to Kaede's home, my bow and arrows are there."

"Like they will do you much good anyways." Inuyasha scoffs, before dodging one of the women as they swoop in to attack, quickly followed by another.

"Find the hair! If you cut the hair, may chance they will wake!" Kaede commands, my eyes widening in realization.

 _'She's right.'_ I frown, Inuyasha swinging blindly.

"I can't see the hair you two are going on about!" He exclaims in frustration, dodging another attack. My eyes widen as I see hairs suddenly shooting out to wrap around Inuyasha.

"Watch out!" I exclaim, but it's too late as he ends up trapped by them.

"It's a trap!" Kaede shouts with me helplessly. Inuyasha, however, isn't deterred. He smirks as he sidesteps another attack from a woman with her butcher knife, pulling hard at the lines as he does.

"Whoever is doing this ain't too smart! Even all tangled up I don't need to see to drag out that demon on the other end!" He cries out confidently, egotistical smirk on his face. I blink in surprise at his solid logic. It seems he has the upper hand for a minute, before suddenly the hair seems to let loose and he trips backwards onto the ground from the sudden loss of tension. Just as quickly the hair tightens up again, throwing him up against a nearby tree.

"Inuyasha!" Kaede cries out weakly in worry, and I feel fear course through me for him as well.

 _'How can I help, though? I can't even cut the hair!'_ I think to myself frantically. I didn't even have a knife!

 ** _'Use your energy, Yua. You know what to do.'_** Mayumi speaks up softly from deep inside, and I frown. _She's right._ If I could create a bow and arrow from my energy, surely I could create other things? I let Kaede go when I know she can stand on her own, before looking down at my finger tips. I can feel the warmth of my energy pulsing through my body as I concentrate to focus it, envisioning my nails elongating as Inuyasha's does when he attacks. With a blinding light my aura forms spikes about six inches long coming out from each of my fingers.

_Talk about a crash course._

_'Hold on, Inuyasha!'_ I think desperately, running towards where he was pinned. I reach out, swinging my arm downwards on one of the strands of hair that held him. It broke lose as I cut through it, disintegrating on contact.

 _'It actually_ worked! _'_ I can't help thinking in amazement, before doing the same to all the strands of hair I could reach. Inuyasha lets out a loud yell, breaking free from the others and landing back on the ground. His amber eyes meet mine, and we seem to stare each other down for a moment as his hand moves to rub at his neck.

 _'Does he look…_ thankful? _'_ I think to myself in astonishment, his amber eyes growing soft for only a moment. I let my aura recede from my fingers, clenching my hands into tight fists.

"I thought I was a goner." He admits, breathing a little hard. Kaede walks up to us both, frowning in concern.

"And so would ye have been were ye normal, Inuyasha." Kaede chimed in.

Then we heard the clanking of tools being raised.

 _'It's the_ men _this time!'_ I frown. Some were holding bow and arrows, others spears.

"I'm getting _real_ sick of this." Inuyasha frowns, coming to kneel down by Kaede.

"Save yourselves, forget this old woman." Kaede pleads suddenly, and I look to her shocked.

"We are _not_ leaving you here." I frown, looking towards the silver haired boy. To my surprise had had the same look of determination in his eyes. She whimpers in pain, before falling forward. I catch her as best I can, helping her to the ground with me, before looking towards Inuyasha in worry.

"We have to get her out of here!" I know it doesn't need to be said, but if we stayed here any longer we'd _all_ be dead. Inuyasha moves without a word, and I help him gather Kaede up onto his back.

"What about you? I can't carry _both_ of you out of here." Inuyasha frowns deeply, and I shake my head.

"Don't worry about me, I'll find my own way out." I reassure him. _'At least, I hope I will.'_

 ** _'I'm here. I've got your back!'_** Mayumi calls out.

"What about the jewel shard?! I can't leave _you_ alone to defend it! That demon will have no problem snatching it up if she catches you." Inuyasha protests angrily, and I can't help the irritation I feel flare up. I grab at the pouch around my neck and shove it into his hand without a second thought, knowing we didn't have time for this. He blinks in shock as he looks down at the sack of his hand, before looking at me.

"Yua, _no,_ we cannot leave ye behind." Kaede weakly protests.

"Seriously, I'll be fine! I'm tougher than I look." I not only try to reassure the both of them, but myself as well. " _Go!_ " Inuyasha sends me one last unreadable look, before leaping over the men and out of the village. I swallow thickly, looking around quickly for an escape route of my own.

 _ **'There's an opening there! Hurry!'**_ Mayumi points out as a gap appears between two of the men, and I move. As I close in on the opening, though, one of the men with a spear rushes for me. With grace I knew wasn't my own I drop to the ground and roll just out of reach of his spear, before continuing through the opening. Up ahead I notice the hairs cris-crossing along the road. Focusing my energy into my finger tips once more my aura reshapes into the elongated nails from earlier, easily slicing through them as I run.

 _'This is_ you _, isn't it? I've never been able to run like this before.'_ I ask minutes later, noticing that I didn't feel like my lungs were about to drop from my chest.

 ** _'The more time you spend here, the more often you tap into our energies, the more your physical strength and endurance is going to grow.'_** Mayumi explained patiently. I frown cutting through another strand of hair.

 _'I should really tell Inuyasha about this.'_ I tell her, meaning this connection, that she was actually _here_.

 ** _'Why? What good what it do him? I'm_ dead, _Yua, and it should stay that way.'_** Mayumi replied firmly. **_'Don't burden him with this.'_**

 _'Why do you think knowing you're alive inside of me would be a_ burden _to him?'_ I ask, frowning.

 _ **'Because he would make it his personal mission to bring me back to the living, and it's not possible. He is already starting to come to terms with my death. Don't reopen that wound, I**_ **beg** _ **you.'**_ Mayumi stated passionately, and I could honestly see her point.

I still felt _guilty_ keeping this from him.

Cutting through what thankfully looked like the last strand of hair, I look ahead to see a red and silver blur bounding towards me, stopping as I breath heavily. Relieved I let the energy go from my finger tips once more, the purple aura dissipating into nothing. Whereas I had hardly felt exhausted before, now my legs were shaking and my lungs burning. Inuyasha lands in front of me, a flash of concern in his amber eyes.

"You alright?" He asks, his voice so genuine it catches me off guard. I nod, and he turns his back towards me in silent invitation. I climb on without hesitation, thankful for the respite as his hands wrap securely under my thighs to support me. Instead of placing my hands on his shoulders I let my arms flop over them, hooking my hands together and letting them rest against his chest. I can feel his heart beating, strong and steady, and oddly it brings me comfort.

"Where is Kaede?!" I ask over the rushing wind as he leaps along.

"She's in the woods. I left her someplace safe, don't worry!" He answers. I nod, almost allowing my head to lay against his back.

I'm _exhausted_.

Inuyasha takes me deep into the forest, the sun setting behind us. I frown as we finally reach Kaede, laying underneath a large tree on some soft grass and leaves. Sliding down from Inuyasha's back, I instantly regret not thinking of trying to get to Kaede's home first to grab any first-aid supplies that I could, or even my bow and arrows.

"Kaede…" I frown, kneeling down beside her. She looks to me, relief flooding her features.

"Yua, I was worried for ye." She murmurs, her frail, shaking hand reaching up to cup my face. "Ye are not harmed?" I gently taking her hand in my own, shaking my head.

"No, I'm fine. Just a little tired." I reply, before frowning as I look to the wound on her shoulder. _'I wish there was some way I could make it better.'_ I think to myself.

 ** _'You could heal her.'_** Mayumi's voice echoes, but I notice how distant she sounds. **_'It will use up what little energy you have left, though, until you have time to recover.'_**

 _'Tell me what to do.'_ I reply without hesitation.

 ** _'It's just like anything else you have done with your energy thus far, but for this you will have to dig deeper. Healing involves more than just your basic powers, it involves using your life energy. Place your hand over Kaede's wound.'_** Mayumi instructs, and I do so, closing my eyes in concentration. Distantly I hear Inuyasha questioning what I'm doing, but I force him from my mind and focus on Mayumi's voice instead. ** _'Now envision the wound,_ feel _it.'_** I frown hearing her.

 _'What do you mean by_ feel it? _'_

 ** _'You will know when it happens.'_ **Mayumi answered vaguely. A few seconds pass as I think about nothing but the knife cut on Kaede's arm, about to question Mayumi when nothing happens.

Then I feel the _intense_ burning in my own right shoulder.

I can't hold back the gasp of pain, and the shock that comes with it. _'Mayumi?!'_ I question, feeling suddenly unsure as the burning intensifies.

 ** _'Breathe through it, Yua,'_** Mayumi coaches patiently. ** _'Think about the muscles and skin around Kaede's wound coming back together.'_ **I breathe deeply, doing my best to ignore the pain and do as Mayumi says. Slowly the burning starts to lessen in my shoulder, and I open my eyes to see Kaede's wound closing up as my hand, covered in the purple aura of my energy, hovers just above her flesh.

 _'It's_ working! _'_ I exclaim in elation, the elderly woman letting out a relieved sigh before her head turns to the side and she promptly falls asleep. Once the wound closes shut completely I allow the energy to go, nearly falling to the side as the force of how much I was drained hits me hard. I blink in surprise, my mind hazy.

 ** _'Depending on the severity of the wound you are trying to heal, it could come at a high cost to you if you're not careful. Possibly your own life.'_** Mayumi's voice rings out, sounding just as tired as I felt. ** _'I need to retreat, my energy is spent for now. Well done, Yua.'_** She compliments, before disappearing back behind the barrier, taking her warmth with her.

"What the hell did you just _do?_ " Inuyasha's brash voice brings me back to the present. He's looming over me, his arms crossed with his clawed hands hidden within each sleeve of his red kimono. He looks unsure of me as his amber eyes flicker from Kaede, to me, then back to Kaede.

 _'He's_ worried _about her.'_ I realize. _'For a guy who seems to despise everything human, he sure does have his moments.'_ I move to sit down more comfortably, arms shaking as I shift my weight. "I healed her using my own energy." I murmur softy, sighing heavily in exhaustion. Inuyasha frowns, watching me with calculation.

"There is only one person I've ever known that could do that." He murmurs after a moment of silence, and I instantly know who he is talking about.

_Mayumi._

"Well, I'm _apparently_ her reincarnation, so…" I trail off awkwardly, praying he wouldn't press this further. He looks as if he's about to ask another question, but hesitates and obviously thinks better of it as he instead looks around the small clearing. His amber eyes are sharp, glowing in the fading light.

"We're going to need to figure something out for the night." He comments, glancing towards Kaede once more. "Especially for the old hag. Yura isn't going to stop until she has that jewel shard, so we're going to have to kill her first." He talks so casually of killing that it catching me slightly off guard.

" _Kill_ her?" I ask with a frown, thinking if Yura. "You don't think she can be reasoned with?" Inuyasha looks at me with disbelief.

"After _everything_ you have seen when it comes to that jewel, do you _really_ think so?" He asks me dubiously, and I have to reluctantly admit that he has a point.

"How are we going to fight her in the dark?" I ask, the light quickly fading from the sky. "Where would we even find her?"

"You can see the hair, right? It will lead us right to her." Inuyasha states, his arms dropping from where they had been crossed over his chest. "So long as you can see it, _I_ can fight her."

"You mean, you _want_ to work with me now?" I blurt out before I can stop myself, realizing too late that his ego might not take being proven wrong. He growls low in his chest.

"For the shards I'd be willing to work with _anyone._ " He replies firmly.

 _'Talk about motivation.'_ I think dryly. "Alright, _fine_. But what are we going to do with Kaede? We can't leave her out here in the open like this."

"I'll dig her a hole." Inuyasha replies simply, and my mouth drops open in shock.

"She's not _dead_ , Inuyasha!" I exclaim in disbelief, as he moved to the spot behind the woman and starts to dig with his hands. His claws easily break away the surface of the ground, the softer stuff beneath looser to move.

"We'll leave her head exposed, but cover her with leaves to blend her in as best we can. It will keep her warm too." Inuyasha huffs as he continues to dig into the ground, soon hunching over and swiping his hands between his feet. Even I can admit I'm once again astounded by his logic.

And the fact he looks _exactly_ like a dog when he digs like that.

I hold back that comment, however, knowing for certain it wouldn't go over well.

By the time he is done digging I find I have enough energy to help him move Kaede as gently as possible into the hole. I silently help him to cover her up with some of the dirt, spreading leaves on top to really camouflage her in. If you had told me three days ago that this would be the way I spent an evening, I would have laughed.

"We can't forget she's here." I frown at him then, and he gives a slight laugh.

"She'd come back to haunt me if I did." He mutters, and even I can hear a small amount of affection in his voice. "I still can't get over the fact that she's that little brat from all those years ago." He stands, and I slowly follow suit. "Are you going to be of any use when we go after Yura?" He asks, having obviously seen how tired I looked. I reach out to try and feel my own energy, finding some there, and nod.

"I won't be as powerful as before, but I'll manage." I frown. "If only we could grab my bow and arrows from Kaede's home."

"We might be able to sneak in. Hell, Yura might have let the village people go now that she figures she's scared us off." Inuyasha replies, before turning his back to me. "Hop on."

"Are you _sure_ I'm not too heavy?" The question leaves me before I have time to think to stop it, and he looks over his shoulder with a bewildered expression.

"I can lift things hundreds of pounds heavier than you. Get on." He barks, and I flush a little in embarrassment before gripping onto his shoulders and hooking my legs over his hips from behind. That same feeling of security from before washes over me as I feel his strong hands brace against my thighs, holding me in place as he races from the clearing.

Maybe we'd be able to work together after all.


	5. Split-Ends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!
> 
> Thank you to CatNapTime, Wolvesnight, and LunaDeath1 as well as 1 guest who left kudos on my story!

Inuyasha and I stop on the outskirts of the village, my heart leaping into my throat with worry when I see all the bodies of the villagers laying on the ground in the streets.

There wasn't a hair in sight.

"Are they…?" I ask softly, Inuyasha's grip unconsciously tightening on my legs.

"No, just sleeping." He replies, his voice surprisingly soft. "Do you see anything?"

"All the hair is gone." I reply, before Inuyasha jumps up onto a rooftop, leaping from roof to roof till we land in front of Kaede's hut. We both walk in, the room dark.

It's chilling and eerie.

 _'I'm so used to there being a warm fire in here.'_ I think to myself, looking towards the fire pit where the fire was clearly out. _'Kaede, we'll be back for you soon.'_ I chew on my lower lip, walking over to where my bow and quiver of arrows are leaning against the wall. I grab my quiver, attaching it to the cloth belt of my pants before grabbing my bow.

Something attached to it glints in the low light.

"She's attached a strand of hair to my bow." I frown, reaching out to run my fingers along the stand as it stretched out from the center of the curved bamboo.

" _What?_ " Inuyasha asks in confusion as he walks over to stand behind me, leaning over to get a better look.

"Yura left a way for us to find her." I elaborate, knowing beyond doubt that was what she had intended. "Somehow she knew I'd come back for my bow. _Ah._ " I hiss, wincing as the strand of hair cuts through the skin on my index finger. I snap my hand away, frowning as I look at the paper-cut sized slice. _'That_ stings! _'_ I think irritably, bringing my finger to my mouth to suck the blood off of it. Suddenly I feel a heavy weight settle over my head, my peripheral vision now surrounded in red.

_Inuyasha's top._

I look to him in question. "It's made with hair of the fire rat." Inyasha explains as he looks away from me. "You'll have _some_ protection at least." He mutters. Warmth spreads through me at this, his kindness causing my chest to grow tight.

_He actually cared about my well being?_

"What about you?" I frown then, and he finally looks to me with a small cocky smirk.

"I'm half demon, remember? Her hair can't slice my skin. Not just a few strands of it, anyway." He explains. "Let's go. We'll follow the strand of hair to where she is hiding." He adds, nodding towards my bow.

"Thank you." I murmur softly, grabbing the edges and folding them more securely around me. It was warm, and it smelt like him. Of pine, grass, and something inherently _male_. I felt instantly safe as his residual warmth and scent washed over me.

Was that _Mayumi's_ feelings, or _mine_?

I walk with him out of Kaede's home, and he kneels with his back to me once more. I climb on without having to be told twice this time. _'I could get used to this.'_ I grumble regrettably to myself.

"You ready?" He asks gruffly as his hands settle in their usual place. I know he means more than just for him to start running. I swallow thinking before nodding.

This was the first time I had sought out danger, rather than danger seeking me out.

"Yeah, I'm ready." I reply, gripping onto his shoulder with one hand, my bow arm resting over his other so my bow stayed extended before us. The strand of hair glinted in the moonlight, clearly leading the way. "Straight ahead."

And with that we were off.

* * *

The trail takes us past the Bone Eater's Well, and through the Forest of Inuyasha. We leap over ponds and through ravines for what feels like hours, Inuyasha moving gracefully with each leap. The soothing motion of his running, along with the warmth and smell pine that now wrapped around me from Inuyasha's top was almost enough to cause me nod off.

Suddenly a glow in the distance catches both of our attentions. Inuyasha lands on the outskirts of the light, and my eyes widen as I see what's in front of us.

"A _campfire?_ " Inuyasha questions with a frown. That isn't what catches my attention first.

"They're all _dead._ " I murmur softly, my hold on his shoulder tightening unconsciously as I gaze at the bodies of the men littered with arrows.

Their _headless_ bodies.

"Did _Yura_ do this?" I ask in horror, feeling like I was in some sort of nightmare. My stomach churned with nausea as I take note of every detail. Some of the bodies had the bone of the spine sticking up from where the neck used to be, others still had their neck but the skin was ripped and shredded grotesquely. Inuyasha's grip on my thighs lets go, allowing me to slid from his back gently as he moves on into the camp to get a better look. Like a coward I stayed where I was, too scared to get closer.

"They're guys from the _village_. Or their bodies, anyway." Inuyasha states, gazing down at the men's bodies on the ground. "Looks like their tops came clean off."

"That hardly looks _'clean'_ to me." I reply, the torn skin and exposed bones still glaringly apparent.

"Demons aren't exactly known to be gentle and courteous when killing their victims." Inuyasha replies dryly, frown still in place. "Would you _come here?_ " He demands then, and I hesitate long enough to annoy him. "Don't start whining about how you're scared."

" _Stop it._ " I frown at him, narrowing my eyes, even as I take my first couple steps forward. "This is the first time I've ever seen a _decapitated_ body." I admit, swallowing thickly as I look away from the nearest body while I walk by it. As I reach Inuyasha he's looking at me once more with an unreadable expression, his amber eyes and silver hair glowing in the firelight. Without a word he turns then, kneeling back down so I can get on.

Thankfully we put lots of space between ourselves and that camp, but it doesn't help my unease to have seen what Yura was capable of. _'Had she taken their heads for their_ hair?' I ask myself in disgust, hand clenching around my bow tighter as the strand continues to lead us further into the woods and towards a distant foothill. As we come to the side of it Inuyasha leans over on all fours, climbing up at the fairly steep angle with ease. I have to squeeze my legs against his sides a little more to maintain my own balance, and distantly I wonder if he can feel it.

 _'If he does he sure doesn't act like it.'_ I think to myself, looking upwards as we continued on. When we get to the top Inuyasha takes a final leap, coming back to stand on his two feet when we land on a tree on the crest of the hill. I shift precariously against Inuyasha's back as he stands straight, his arms snapping back to thankfully wrap around my legs to steady me. I frown, gazing at the plateau ahead of us, noticing that the strands of hair had gotten a lot closer together.

"We must be getting near to her hideout. The strands of hair aren't so far apart now." I inform him.

Suddenly the tree below us is splits into pieces.

Inuyasha moves smoothly, jumping from the tree and landing gracefully below. My eyes widen as I see huge ropes of hair, two or three inches thick, curl up over the side of the hill and launch directly at us.

"They're here! _Jump!_ " I exclaim, Inuyasha surprisingly listening to me without hesitation as he leaps into the air. "It's coming from the left!" I add, just barely seeing the next attack in time as Inuyasha dodges it mid air. "Now the right!" I shout, unable to stop a small scream as he just barely misses that attack. We land and I can't help the horrified fascination as I see a least a dozen of those large ropes of hair overhead, wiggling like fifty foot snakes in the air. "There's so _many_ of them." I frown, heart racing.

"Just keep doing what you're doing!" Inuyasha snaps.

" _Left!_ " I shout, watching as one of the ropes of hair dive towards us. He leaps to dodge it. "BEHIND!" I shout, Inuyasha landing on all fours and quickly launching towards the slope. He lands on his feet, sliding down the side of the hill with me on his back.

Then suddenly _I'm_ the one catching air.

I grunt as I hit the ground hard, skidding a few feet before coming to a stop. I look up, my eyes widening in concern as I see the silver haired boy caught by all his limbs and strung up high.

Right in front of the _hugest_ hairball I had _ever_ seen.

 _'And Kagome's cat has had a couple good ones.'_ I think to myself as I quickly move to stand, Inuyasha's fire rat top falling from my head to rest on my shoulders. I frown, raising my bow and notching an arrow, pointing it directly at the center of the thing. Yura drops into view from behind the giant hairball, standing boldly in my line of fire on top of her stands of hair.

"Oh _my,_ look at the cute doggy." Yura grins, her eyes roaming over Inuyasha, or more pointedly his hair. Either way a flare of jealously hits me and I let the arrow fly, frowning when she blocks it with a wall of hair. "Is someone _jealous?_ " Yura quips with a sly smirk as my arrow clatters to the ground. My lips tighten into a hard line, not bothering to rise to her taunt.

But _yeah,_ why the hell _was_ I jealous?

As Inuyasha struggles on the hold her hair has on him, he draws Yura's attention away from me.

"You must be Inuyasha." Yura comments.

"And you must be Yura of the Hair." Inuyasha correctly identifies her, looking rightly pissed off. "How'd you know _my_ name?!" He demands angrily.

"Let's just say a little birdie told me. Everyone is saying how a half demon, Inuyasha, is playing fetch with the reincarnation of Mayumi." Yura explains, answering my own personal questions from earlier.

 _'And I thought teenage girls in my time were bad for gossip._ ' I frown, Inuyasha letting out a sound of annoyance.

" _Me?_ With that halfwit human down _there?!_ Nothing to it!" Inuyasha passionately denies, sounding absolutely disgusted with what Yura had said. I, meanwhile, am trying not to feel hurt. Why should I? His opinion should hardly matter to me, I hardly _knew_ him!

"Well you're _both_ halfwits to me." Yura goes on with superiority. "I've heard what you've done with the Sacred Jewel. Thousands of shards are scattered all over the land now, and they aren't nearly as powerful as the jewel when whole." Yura says, disappointment heavy in her voice before her eyes dart back down to me. "I suppose I'll have to take the shard you possess, and figure out a way to find the rest." She sighs, as if about to do something too beneath her. "I'll have to take care of you both myself, and then be on my way."

"You really think you'll be able to kill _me?_ " Inuyasha demands cockily, especially for someone currently trapped. I frown, looking from him to Yura. "When this is over, you're going to wish you had _never_ met me, or _ever_ heard my name!" He exclaims, using brute strength to bring his arms close enough together to start ripping at the thick ropes of hair wrapped around his wrists. He frees himself from three of them, using the one still wrapped around his left hand to swing towards Yura. He swipes at her, missing.

"Inuyasha! Behind you!" I cry out, watching helplessly as Yura sends more hair in his direction.

"Not more of the same!" He groans, before grunting as it overpowers him, trapping him more securely this time. Yura comes around directly behind him, her fingers reaching out to his silver hair.

"Such _pretty_ hair." She compliments obsessively, and I feel my energy suddenly spike. It's not just jealousy fueling it this time, no, it's _pure fury._ This...this wasn't _me._ It couldn't be me.

It _had_ to be coming from Mayumi.

"But you really haven't cared for it very well, _look_ at all the split ends." She leans forward, speaking the last bit of that sentence into Inuyasha's ear. She was pressed right up against the back of him as she combs her fingers through the ends of his silver hair, her ridiculously enormous breasts squeezed into him.

 _'That's_ it! _'_ I think angrily, notching my next arrow. I can feel my energy flowing more strongly now, moving it to flow through my fingertips and into my arrow without much thought. I take aim at Yura's leg, not wanting to accidentally hit Inuyasha instead. Letting the arrow fly, I grin widely as it hits it's intended target, Yura screaming in pain as she drops away from Inuyasha and towards the ground. She just barely catches herself on her hair strands, looking down at the arrow protruding from her leg with pained disgust. The skin around where the arrow was embedded was burned badly, but still intact.

 _'How did that not do more damage?'_ I frown, thinking about all the other times I had used my arrow like that. I look down at my now open left hand, finding it shaking. My eyes widen. _'My energy is still drained. I was able to make the shot, but it wasn't as powerful as it usually is when I haven't exhausted myself.'_ A snap echoing through the valley pulls my attention back to Yura, watching with wide eyed as she throws the arrow, now broken in half, at my feet. Looking into her eyes it's easy to tell.

 _'Ohhh, she's fucking_ pissed. _'_ I swallow thickly.

"What are you doing?! _RUN!_ " Inuyasha shouts from where he is hanging as Yura draws her sword.

 _'Run?! Run_ where?! _It's not like I'll make it very far!'_ I think to myself, grabbing another arrow as she flies towards me. I notch it and release before really taking aim, watching as it arches above her and misses her completely. Yura, hardly deterred, closes the remaining distance quickly, swinging down at me with her sword. Out of some naive sort of reaction I raise my arm up to cover my face from the attack, wincing as I can feel the pressure of the sword hit me.

I blink in shock, slowly lowering my arm to see Yura turned from me. I look at the undamaged sleeve of Inuyasha's fire rat top, and my _intact_ arm, realizing with wonder that it must have been what had saved me. Yura, meanwhile, didn't seem so concerned about the fact I was still alive. No.

She's more concerned about the _huge_ _rip_ in her massive hairball, the skulls of her victims falling through it towards the ground.

 _'There are_ hundreds _of them.'_ I think with horrified fascination.

"What have you _done?!_ " Yura cries out as she leaps up from one strand of hair to the next until she comes to stand near where the rip was.

" _The guys from the camp._ " Inuyasha identifies grimly, frowning as he watches the skulls fall.

"I'll be putting _you_ in here too once I separate that pretty hair from your head." Yura promises coldly. "It's _wasted_ on you anyway." I watch as she jumps back down gingerly, her wound on her thigh obviously bugging her. She flashes a red comb in front of her, my eyes instantly drawn to it. "But first, that woman over there _has_ to die!" I freeze in shock, the hair catching on fire as she manipulates it towards me.

 _'What do I do now?!'_ I cry out to myself, knowing I was subconsciously waiting for Mayumi's guidance. I feel a cold sense of dread fall over me when I hear nothing in response. _'Wait...if Inuyasha's top saved me from getting my arm sliced off...maybe...'_ Quickly I work to wrap Inuyasha's top over me as best I can before the fire hits, and I can feel the heat of it around me. All I can hear is the crackling of the flames as I fall to my knees, the smoke making it hard to breathe. _'Mayumi! Mayumi,_ please! _I need your help!'_ I cry out inwardly in desperation, but I'm met with an eerie silence.

Was this it? Was this how I was going to _die?_

My chest feels heavy with the need to breath fresh air, mind racing. Nobody was going to save me.

So I would have to save _myself._

I pull for my energy desperately, feeling it bubbling weakly from deep within. I hold onto that feeling, concentrating hard.

" _ **BLADES OF BLOOD**!_" Inuyasha's shout broke through my concentration, my hands clenching tightly into fists.

 _'Not yet, I don't have enough power yet.'_ I think to myself, holding back. Inuyasha's scream of pain breaks through the crackling of the fire surrounding me soon after, and my eyes snap open.

He was hanging in the air, _impaled_ by that lady's sword.

Unrestrained, my energy bursts forth, the pulse dousing the fire as it nearly shakes Yura from her balance. She blinks as she retracts her sword, now being manipulated by the hair, looking at me in shock. That moment of distraction is all that Inuyasha needs. I frown, watching as he brings his hand back, before sending it plunging directly into Yura's heart. Inuyasha looks up at her from his crouched position with a cocky smirk. " _That_ ought to do it." He comments to himself, but to my utter shock Yura remains _standing._ Not only that, but she even begins to _reprimand_ him.

"Why I _never!_ I half demon I just met sticking his hand in my chest?" She exclaims, not sounding all that genuinely disgusted. "Now I _have_ become cross!"

Why wasn't she _dead?_ Where was her weak spot? I frown as I look to her bright red comb. _Was it her comb?_ My eyes then catch the hair strands from the comb that went straight back towards her hideaway. Near the top of the pile of heads I can see something else red, my eyes widening in shock as I realize it's a skull. _'There! That's_ it! _'_ I think, somehow knowing in my gut that was the source of her power. I move away quietly, making my way to the base of the skull pile and finding a foothold before climbing my way up.

Then the entire pile begins to sway.

 _'Oh_ SHIT! _'_ I think, holding on for dear life, and also trying not to think too hard on _what_ I was holding on to.

"Look at you! Up until now you've been acting like we've only broken your nail! Now you're _really_ mad." Inuyasha points out, successfully distracting her from trying to fling me off of the pile. I climb faster, but that unfortunately only causes more movement that redirects her attention back towards me.

" _Stop it!_ You're tangling my hair!" Yura cries out angrily, and the pile moves violently once again. I hold on tight until it stops moving, before my eyes widen as I catch the glint of her sword out of the corner of my eye. I tuck my head under my arm as much as I can, once again feeling the pressure of it hitting before it grazes off of me. I scramble towards the top, but this time Yura was done playing. The hair wraps around my wrists before I can dodge it, pulling me from the pile to lift me mid-air.

"Why won't you _bleed?!_ " Yura demands, crossing her arms as she comes to stand in front of me. "You seem ordinary, like there isn't anything special about you." She hums, tilting her head and looking genuinely curious now. I try not to look at the hole in her chest squeezed between her two massive boobs.

 _'_ Seriously _, do those things defy gravity or something?'_ I think irritably, and obviously at a very inappropriate time.

"You certainly carry Mayumi's energy signature…" She trails off thoughtfully. I frown more at that, looking at her sharply.

"My name is, _Yua._ " I emphasize, glaring at her. "Mayumi and I are two _totally_ different people!"

"You're telling me. She had _much_ prettier hair." Yuma hums then, reaching out to comb her fingers through my tangled mess of reddish-brown hair. I turn my head away, feeling my irritation rise even higher. "Let's put you to the test!" She exclaims suddenly, before weaving her hair once more, closing it around my neck. Instantly I was choked, unable to hardly breathe as the hair bit into my skin harshly. I can feel myself getting light-headed and dizzy, my body feeling like rubber.

" _ **BLADES OF BLOOD!**_ " Inuyasha shouts out, and almost instantly the pressure on my neck is gone. I take in deep breaths and suddenly I'm weightless, the hair growing slack that had been holding me up. I could hear the skulls clattering to the ground underneath of me as I fall backwards, realizing that the entire thing was coming down. I look up, watching as a hazy red and silver blur comes for me.

" _Don't you faint!_ " Inuyasha gripes even as he cuts me loose and wraps his arms around me, holding me to him protectively as we fall together to the ground. He takes the brunt of the shock of landing, doing his best to ease me into it. I reach up, rubbing at my sore neck as I look to him thankfully.

"Thank you." I murmur softly, Inuyasha stilling for a moment as his amber eyes watch me intently.

I see a glint out of the corner of my eye.

"Inuyasha! Watch out!" I exclaim as I see the sword flying towards us. To my utter shock he pushes me out of the way, taking the attack _himself._ With a yell of pain the sword pierces him through the shoulder, sending him onto his back in a pained heap. As Yura pulls it back I crawl back over to him, ignoring the sharpness of the skulls under my knees. I place my hand over his shoulder to try and stop the bleeding.

"Are you alright?!" I frown, his hand pushing my own gently away.

"I'll be fine." He replies calmly, his eyes never leaving Yura.

"You forget _I'm_ immortal!" She shouts out to him smoothly, not bothering to catch her sword as it hovered next to her. Her red comb was up and at the ready, and my eyes goes wide in reminder, looking around frantically to find the red skull luckily almost right next to us. Grab one of my arrows I crawl over to it quickly while she is distracted, and start to hammer it with the tip as hard as I can.

 _'No_ quite _immortal.'_ I think viciously as I work hard, concentrating solely on my task. With one final swing the arrow finally breaks through, cracking the top of the skull.

Yura goes still, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Light blasts forth, the energy causing the wind to rush about me as I lean back quickly out of the way.

And just like that, she's _gone._

" _Finally._ " I murmur softly, feeling relief flood through my system as Yura fades quietly into the night. Her clothes drifted down, one of the only reminders that she had actually existed. I look back to the broken skull at my knees and to my surprise there is a red comb, not unlike the one she had carried, split in half by the skull. I pick up the pieces as Inuyasha approaches, showing it to him.

"So _that's_ what Yura really was." Inuyasha states in realization, and I look at him in surprise.

"Yura was a _comb?_ " I ask in disbelief, slowly moving to stand.

"Sure. With all that you've seen since you've been here, are you surprised?" He asks easily. "It's probably got powers because it was once used to comb the hair of the dead. Yura didn't use _it_ so much as _it_ used her." I notice that his has hand pressing over his most recent wound, and I can't help the concern that washes over me again.

And the guilt knowing he was hurt because I couldn't hold my own.

"We really should get you looked at." I reach out without thinking, my hand brushing against then back of his own over the wound. His skin is warm to the touch against my cold fingers. He starts slightly, and I instantly retract my hand, feeling an embarrassed blush rush towards my cheeks. _Why had I done that?_

"I'll be fine." He reiterates after a tense moment, his gaze unreadable as he looks around the valley. He winces however, kneeling quickly as the pain suddenly overwhelms him.

"I'm sorry, if you hadn't have given me your robe you would have been fine." I frown deeply, kneeling down in front of him. His amber eyes look up at me, not holding a single bit of regret.

"And you'd be sitting here with one less arm if I hadn't. I'll _heal._ " He replies assuredly. Even still I gently take the fire rat top off as we both stand, handing it back to him. "Come on, Yua, let's go." He murmurs, and I blink slightly in shock, freezing in place.

Had he actually used my _name_?

"What?" He demands curiously, and I hesitate, before sealing my lips and smiling while shaking my head.

"Nothing." I reply easily, not wanting to spoil the moment. Together we make our way out of the valley and head back in the direction of the forest Kaede was still hidden in. As I look around, the large moon casting a bright light around us, I realize something monumental.

I was starting to feel at ease.

* * *

_"Yua." A voice calls out to me as my eyes snap open. I sit up straight on my makeshift bed in Kaede's hut, looking around frantically for the owner._

_It was a voice I had yet to hear._

_"Yua…reincarnation of Mayumi." The voice goes on, distinctly male in nature. "Protector of the Sacred Jewel." He chuckles darkly then, sending a chill down my spine. The voice echoes around me, having no clear source. My heart was racing. This voice, something about it, told me he was_ dangerous.

 _"Who_ are _you?" I demand lowly, hands clenching the material of my blanket so hard that my knuckles were going white._

 _"You'll get to know me soon enough." The male voice replied slyly as I move to kneel, eyeing my bow and arrows that leaned on the wall nearby. I can see Inuyasha a few feet away, arms and legs crossed as he sleeps soundly. How was he not_ hearing _this? I open my mouth to call his name, but my voice croaks, suddenly lost. Eyes widening I reach up to rub at my throat, trying again desperately. The chilling laughter returns, ice creeping down my back._

 _"So_ sweet. _It appears that history will most certainly repeat itself." The voice goes on dryly, but this time he sounds more solid. I turn sharply, heart stopping as I see a cloaked figure in Kaede's doorway. His face was covered with what looked to be the face of a baboon, the cloak made of white fur flowing seamlessly from the headdress._

_'What the hell?!' I think to myself, heart suddenly speeding back up._

_"You. Are._ **Mine.** _" His voice suddenly growls with possessiveness, before the man hidden in the cloak rushes me. I'm frozen on the spot, unable to move._

* * *

Gasping for air as I wake up, I pause for a moment in shock as I look at the wooden slates of Kaede's home above me. The light from the sun was just starting to filter through, casting a glow through the house. I sit up quickly, looking around frantically for the man dressed as a baboon.

 _'The things I never thought I'd dream about.'_ I groan inwardly when I realize it was indeed a dream, leaning my head down into my hand. I rub at my forehead with the palm of my hand hard, massaging away the tell tale signs of a tension headache. Who _was_ that guy? Why had my mind created him all of a sudden? I frown, lifting my head and looking around once again, pausing as I see Inuyasha sleeping just as he had been in my dream.

"How can that be _comfortable?_ " I murmur softly to myself, eyeing how relaxed his face was. _'He looks so peaceful.'_ I add to myself, a warmth spreading through me as I take in his admittedly handsome face. Even more so when it was relaxed as it was now. _'Sleeping makes him look so_ human. _'_ I think, before looking at his still bloodied shirt as his red fire-rat kimono top laid beside him. _'But if he was human he certainly wouldn't be_ sleeping _after everything last night. He would be_ dead. _'_ Being stabbed three times with a sword would have surely done that to any normal human. I flush a little, remembering how I had reached out to him and touched his hand. Inuyasha's body had went so stiff. My stomach rolls in hot embarrassment. Clearly he hadn't wanted me to touch him, and truth be told, I hadn't really thought it through before I had been reaching for him. It had been like instinct, something drawing me to be physically close to him while he was hurt.

 _'It was probably Mayumi.'_ I think to myself, frowning. _'Why else would I feel so attentive to someone I barely even know? Why would I be so…_ attracted _to someone I just met?'_ I sigh to myself, realizing that I most certainly wasn't going to find sleep again _now_. As quietly as I can manage I throw my blankets aside, crawling the short distance to the entrance of Kaede's home and slipping my shoes on. As I push the cover on the door aside, a rush of unease hits me, realizing _this_ is exactly where that figure had stood in my dream.

_"You. Are._ **Mine.** _"_

A shudder works down my spine. What had he meant by that? Claiming me like that? I shake my head, ridding myself of that residual feeling of intense fear, before allowing the cover to slip shut behind me. The morning air was crisp around me, the village just barely starting to move. The sun was only peeking above the horizon, a golden sliver in the pink and purple sky. It looked like it was going to be another beautiful day here.

I head down the road, bowing respectfully in return to those who bowed their heads in acknowledgement towards me. I finally make it to the river, kneeling down and cupping the cold water in my hands. Splashing it over my face, I instantly feeling more awake, leaning back on my knees. I look down at my reflection, chewing on my lower lip.

 _'I look so…_ different. _'_ I think in amazement, and I don't just mean my clothing. My face was still plump, but somehow…I looked more _mature._ _'It's only been three days.'_ I scoff in disbelief, shifting from my knees to sit down with my legs crossed.

 ** _'Aye, that may be true, but you've gone through more in the past_ three days _than most woman in your lifetime_ ever _go through.'_** Mayumi's voice broke through the barrier, sounding much stronger than the day before.

 _'Hey, you're back.'_ I think pleasantly, and Mayumi's tinkling laughter greets me.

 _ **'Of course I am. We're not through just yet.'**_ Mayumi replies gently. **_'Even though I could not be with you during your battle with Yura, I'm very proud of the way you handled yourself.'_** I blink a little in surprise then.

 _'So you weren't there_ at all? _'_ I ask, staring down at the grass.

 ** _'No, that was all_ you _, Yua.'_** Mayumi replied, and I feel warmth spark through me as I can detect a hint of pride in her voice.

 _'I'm nowhere_ near _as powerful without your help.'_ I frown then, remembering how hard it had been for me to draw out my energy.

 _ **'No, you aren't.'**_ Mayumi agrees gently. ** _'That will come with time and more use of your powers. You'll get there, you just need patience.'_** She advises wisely, and I can't help a dry laugh.

 _'Patience_ isn't _one of my strengths.'_ I admit to her openly, and I can sense her smiling.

 ** _'Sometimes it's not mine either, no matter what people say about me.'_** She freely admits, and I swallow thickly, hesitating.

 _'So…we_ are _alike then.'_ I conclude, frowning. _'How do I know what I feel at times is me…or_ you? _'_

 ** _'It doesn't work like that, Yua. I can't affect your emotions, or your choices.'_** Mayumi explains, and I frown in confusion.

 _'You took over my body during the fight with the crow demon and that eight foot troll._ ' I remind her.

 ** _'Only because on a subconscious level you_ allowed _me that control. If you hadn't have wanted me to, I wouldn't have been able to break past your barrier like that.'_** Mayumi explains, and my eyes widen then in realization.

 _'So that warmth I feel…that sense of security when I'm around Inuyasha…_ it's real. _'_ I think in amazement, before quickly regretting it as I remember who is sharing my thoughts right now.

 ** _'_ Don't _apologize.'_** Mayumi speaks up sharply before I can. _**'I understand my place, and I've been able to let him go. Don't feel guilty for how you're feeling. Trust me, with him it can't be helped.'**_ She adds the last bit dryly. I can't help a derisive laugh, looking up towards the sun now as it really lights up the sky.

 _'I honestly don't know_ what _I'm feeling.'_ I truthfully admit, inwardly sighing. _'I only just got here.'_

 ** _'It's okay to be confused, especially with what you've gone through so far. Just don't think going forward that your emotions aren't your own._ Embrace _them.'_** Mayumi advises. **_'You are going to be just fine, Yua.'_** Somehow I felt confident that Mayumi was right.

Especially with my newfound friends beside me.

* * *


	6. The Mother With No Face

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!
> 
> Thank you SO much to:
> 
> LorettaLee1880, CatNapTime, Wolvesnight, and LunaDeath1 as well as 1 guest that have left kudos on my story!
> 
> And a HUGE thank you to Nodnos for your wonderful comment! I'm so happy to see that you're enjoying the story so far and I hope you continue to enjoy it in the future! I'm REALLY looking forward to getting to the Koga arc! LOL. 
> 
> As always I truly appreciate the kudos and the comments :) I won't make it a secret that it's what drives me to write and to update! 
> 
> ONWARD!

The the next few days I fall into a familiar routine once more, though with a slight twist. I wake up early in the mornings, hike out to the forest to the only familiar place for me in this era, below the Sacred Tree. Here I continue to practice with my bow and arrows.

Mayumi is _constantly_ with me.

She had even taught me how to _make_ arrows! Though my first couple of tries were humorously abysmal, I was slowly starting to get the hang of it. After each session of target practice I would sit down and work at this particular task, Mayumi telling me stories from her time as she continued enlightening me on my new found powers. At mid-day I would have my lunch relaxing underneath the large tree, enjoying the warmth of the sun and the fresh breeze as she talked.

During the afternoon I would train more, but this time with using my powers. Mayumi had me practice creating shields and weapons by manipulating my energy. I was even able to recreate the bow and arrows with my aura as she had before, and day by day I started to feel less drained after the use of it.

 ** _'Soon you won't need a physical bow._ This _can be your weapon.'_** Mayumi insisted this afternoon as I look at the charred trunk of a tree I had shot. Even my aim was getting better, the tree much further away than I had ever thought I'd be able to hit. _ **'You're getting very good at controlling the output of your energy, this will help with your endurance during future fights.'**_

 _'_ Future _fights?'_ I think, swallowing thickly. I had barely survived the _last_ few, let alone more. _'I realize that it's inevitable we'll cross paths with more beings in search for the Sacred Jewel shards, but I still don't like to think about it.'_ I frown deeply, remembering how badly Inuyasha had been injured last time. Face flushing, I am quickly reminded of his speedy healing from our interactions the morning after taking on Yura all those days ago.

* * *

 _"Don't be so_ stubborn! _" I state crossly, bandages in my hands. "Just let me take a look!"_

_"There ain't nothing to see!" Inuyasha insists, amber eyes narrowed at me in challenge. "I'm all healed!" I scoff in disbelief._

_"You were stabbed_ three _times!_ Three! _You really expect me to believe that?!" I demand angrily, concern slowly turning into irritation. It was the guilt knowing that I had been the reason he had gotten hurt that continued to drive me to try and help somehow._

_"You aren't going to leave it alone, are you?" Inuyasha sighs resignedly, frowning as he moves his clawed hands up to his new white top that usually rested below his fire rat robe. Kaede had been able to scrounge up an extra from somewhere._

'I seriously need to know her connections.' _I think randomly, before blinking in surprise as he lets the material fall from his muscled shoulders._

 _And boy, was he_ lean. _Like,_ muscled _lean._

'They don't grow them like _that_ back home.' _Trying not to blush, and definitely trying not to stare, I look over his smooth chest for any sign of damage. A_ scratch _even._

There was nothing!

_"How?…" I question, looking from his chest and to his eyes, seeing the cocky look back._

_"I'm half_ demon _, remember? I can take more and heal from worse." He replies assuredly, slipping his kimono back over his shoulders and securing it in place. I bite at my lower lip, mentally replaying the image of him topless in my head._

 _Just how horny_ was _I?! It was his_ chest, _for crying out loud!_

'And his shoulders. You've _always_ been a sucker for a set of strong shoulders.'

 _"Stop your_ drooling, _it's making me uncomfortable." Inuyasha's sarcastic voice brings me from my thoughts, and this time I can't stop the burning blush as it races onto my cheeks._

 _"_ As if! _" I defend weakly, and we both instantly know he's hit the nail right on the goddamn head. Inuyasha gives me this knowing smirk, his amber eyes sparkling with mischief. He looked confident as he sat there, and I felt an uncomfortable pull down low in my hips._

'Stop looking so cocky! Somehow it makes you even _more_ attractive.' _I groan inwardly, and to my horror Mayumi's laughter chimes in my head._ 'Oh no! No, no, no, _no._ I gotta get outta here!' _I think frantically, forcefully shoving the bandages back into Kaede's bag. Standing I quickly grab my bow and arrows from the wall._

_"I'm going to go and practice." I mutter lowly, slipping my shoes on and making a mad dash out the door._

_Inuyasha's amused laughter echoing behind me._

* * *

So here I was, days later, and feeling at least somewhat more competent in my new skills. Well, at least with my weapons…at a distance.

 ** _'I can think of someone who would be_ great _at teaching you close hand-to-hand combat.'_** Mayumi's voice rang through my head slyly as I move about the clearing to pack up for the afternoon. Inwardly I grimace, already knowing _exactly_ who she would suggest.

"I'm not getting _Inuyasha_ to teach me how to fight!" I exclaim, feeling my face warm. I still got butterflies in my stomach when thinking about him _shirtless_. How the hell could I deal with all _that_ pressed up against me when fighting?

"Why not?" My stomach drops, hearing _him_ landing behind me. I resist the urge to throw my head back and cry out to the sky, his timing annoyingly impeccable. Instead I turn towards him, looking doubtful.

"You wouldn't have the patience." I answer knowingly, and Inuyasha tilts his head, crossing his arms as his hands disappear into the red sleeves of his kimono.

"You're probably right, _but_ I've finally come to terms with the fact that I'm not going to be able to get rid of you." He replies easily, casually reaching up then to scratch at his right ear with his pinky claw.

"Wow, how _touching._ " I frown irritably. "You could just admit that I'm proving to be at least _somewhat_ useful."

" _Listen._ " Inuyasha sighs, his arms dropping down to his sides as he walks up to me. "I'm willing to put up with _anything_ for the jewel shards." He seems to hesitate, amber eyes looking a little uncertain. "But you aren't _as_ annoying to deal with anymore, even when you talk to yourself." He adds, a curious eyebrow raised at me now. I try my best not to get too flustered, wanting to respect and keep Mayumi's secret... _even if I didn't agree._

"I-is this you trying to _compliment_ me?" I ask then in shock, and he scoffs.

"Don't take it to heart, my opinion could change quickly." He warns, but there isn't that same tone of conviction in his voice he had held previously towards me. I take it for what it is.

A win.

"So, do you want me to teach you or not?" He snaps, returning back to his usual irritated self. To my horror I find myself nodding before I even consciously think about it. "Alright, we'll start tomorrow at dawn. Meet me here." And with that he leaps away, gone from sight.

That's the last time I see Inuyasha that day.

* * *

As I step into the clearing under the Scared Tree the next morning I see him already there, waiting with his arms crossed. He's standing in the center of the clearing, the morning light just barely shinning through the canopy that the trees provide.

"Well it's _about time._ " He snaps. Inwardly I groan, just barely stopping myself from rolling my eyes.

Yeah, this sounds like a _great_ start.

"You said in the morning, you didn't specify an exact time." I reply, trying to make sure my tone sounds as non-confrontational as possible. Our 'friendship' had taken a huge step yesterday, and I didn't want to fuck it up over something so petty.

 _'Mayumi, you with me?'_ I reach out, momentarily surprised when I got no response in return.

What she taking a _break?_ This was _her_ idea!

"Let's get started." Inuyasha brings me back to reality, and I watch intently as he closes the distance between us. "Make your fists." He commands, his voice taking on a completely different tone. Warmth sparks through me, the same feeling that hit me when he had last used that tone all those days ago during Mistress Centipede's attack. I hardly have time to wonder at that feeling, _because he's touching me._

This is the first time _he's_ touched _my_ skin.

"You don't ever want to lock your thumb inside of your fist." Inuyasha frowns, his clawed hands much gentler than they appeared as his fingers pressed my right fist back open. Electricity shoots through me from where his skin touches mine. All contact we had, had thus far had been through the material of clothing, and every time he had initiated physical contact with me it had been done out of necessity. When he held my thighs when I was on his back it was to keep me balanced as we chased after those demons. When he had wrapped his arms around me to guide me to the ground from where I had been strung up my Yura's hair, it had been to save me from breaking my neck.

This had a far more profound impact, because he was _choosing_ to touch me, rather than just dictating to me what to do. He gently closes my fingers against my hand, before his thumb runs over my own softly and presses it down to just under the knuckles of my fingers. "Here, like this. That way you won't end up breaking it." He explains softly, stepping back and watching me with a calculating stare. His expression is serene, like he hadn't felt that spark as I had just moments ago.

 _'Because he probably didn't feel it, you hungry whore.'_ I berate myself, wondering when I had become so desperate for physical contact. I had done everything in my power to avoid it before, because I had seen and felt the worst that physical contact could do to a person.

Was I really that _broken?_

Heart racing, I watch as he raises his left hand, palm open. "Let's see what you've got. Give me a punch." Inuyasha frowns, his body relaxed. I focus on his hand, hesitating for a moment, before swinging forward with my entire body-weight and delivering a punch directly into the middle of his hand. My eyes widen, realizing I had hit my target on the first try!

"Don't look so happy, that was fucking awful." Inuyasha gripes and my mouth falls open in shock.

"What the hell are you talking about?! I hit your hand!" I sputter out indigently.

"This isn't like your bow and arrows. Hand-to-hand combat isn't just about hitting a _target._ It's about power, and being stronger and smarter than your opponent." Surprisingly Inuyasha sounds almost _wise._ "Your punch was sloppy and weak, and you left yourself in a vulnerable position for a counter attack."

"Woah, woah, _woah!_ " I exclaim, eyes wide at the information he was just throwing at me. "You just said to punch your hand! I _did_ that!" Inuyasha scoffs impatiently.

"Do you want to learn or what?" He demands, crossing his arms. I frown, glaring at him for a moment.

 ** _'He was right, you know.'_** Mayumi's voice suddenly echoes.

 _'So_ now _you decide to show up.'_ I mutter lowly. _'Why couldn't you help me out?'_

 ** _'Because that would be suspicious. Inuyasha knows that you have no idea what you're doing when it comes to this sort of thing. He'd know something was up if you were somehow good at it right away.'_** Mayumi replies logically…and I hate her for it for a moment. I can feel her retreating, the glare slowly easing from my eyes as I give a large sigh.

"Alright, _alright._ Yes. I want to learn." I admit, frowning. Inuyasha looks at me skeptically for a moment, before nodding as he walks around to stand behind me. I yelp as his foot kicks against the inside of both of mine, shoving my legs wider.

"Widen your stance, but keep your knees bent." He goes on then, his tone suggesting he was all business. "Plant your feet to keep you steady. I don't want to see them move except to pivot with your punch." He comes back around the front of me. "Move your body like you're about to punch me again." I tilt my head slightly, before doing as he asks and drawing my right hand back behind my shoulder. I was being mindful of my lower half, and keeping it like he had showed me. " _No._ " He instantly replies, shaking his head.

"What?" I ask, trying to keep the snap out of my voice. He lifts a dark eyebrow, and I instantly back down. Walking up to stand directly in front of me he reaches for my fist, bringing it forward so it sat just in front of my shoulder. Then he gently pushed it down towards my hip, turning my fist from being knuckles up to palm up.

"When you go to punch you want your center of gravity to be low, since that is where most of your physical power is going to come from. When you go to punch me throw your weight into it, _but with control._ Pivot your right foot and rotate your hand like it will naturally want to do. Do _not_ let it rise up above your shoulder, that's how you get injured, and that could cost you your life." He states seriously, and I'm once again blown away by the attitude that he's taking towards this.

He's actually _teaching_ me, rather than _belittling_ me.

Inuyasha moves to stand in front of me again, raising his left hand. " _Again._ " He command, and without second thought I move. The motion is fluid, and it feels more secure than the last time. As my fist connects with his hand I can tell the difference with the force behind my hit. Inuyasha smirks, his amber eyes glinting with mischief.

"We _might_ be able to work with that." He comments, letting his left hand drop. "Take your stance, and we're going to do this again. This time you're going to use both hands." He takes his own stance, raising both his right and left hand up to his shoulder height. I nod, feeling a boost of confidence.

We go on like this for a while, just the repeated motion of punching from the left and the right. The sound of skin smacking skin echoes through the clearing as my knuckles start to turn red. Noticing this, Inuyasha has us stop.

"Turn around." Inuyasha orders, and again I feel that warmth spread through me as I do so without question. Moments pass, and I begin to feel anxious when something doesn't happen. Inuyasha doesn't make a sound, or a movement for the longest time.

Then suddenly there is the pressure of a hand clamping around my neck, and an arm around my waist.

I freeze feeling Inuyasha's body pressed up against my back, muscles against my curves.

"What are you going to do now?" Inuyasha's voice drifts into my right ear, his breath hot against the skin as his grip tightens on my throat.

Only, I don't hear _his_ voice.

And suddenly I'm not in the clearing by the Sacred Tree anymore. I'm in my home before the Shrine, and Inuyasha isn't the one pinning me to his chest.

"LET ME _GO!_ " I cry out, heart racing as my energy pulses through me before I can stop it. The pressure on my neck is gone, along with the body, and everything comes rushing back to the present. I turn sharply, breathing heavily as I look around the clearing wide eyed.

 _Not_ my old home.

Inuyasha gets up slowly from the ground, not looking too ruffled, but gazing at me with open concern. He's frowning, amber eyes unsure as he slowly approaches me. I take a step back out of instinct, mind still reeling from that unwanted memory.

"Yua?" Inuyasha calls, his voice soft and uncertain as he continues to slowly approach me. I start at the use of my name, one of his clawed hands reaching out tentatively.

' _I'm safe. I'm_ here. _'_ I think, desperately trying to ground myself. When I don't shy away again Inuyasha closes the distance, placing both hands on my shoulders.

"What just happened?" He frowns deeply, looking down at me with concern. I hesitate, emotions welling up inside of me that I hadn't felt in a _very_ long time. I shake my head, throat growing tight as those emotions threatened to overwhelm me and send me into tears.

" _I'm sorry._ " I manage to croak out, but Inuyasha shakes his head.

"I'm _fine._ You just tickled me is all." He replies with that usually cocky tone. I can't help laughing, even as it comes out strangled.

Then he does something that _really_ shocks me.

His face is moving closer, and my heart starts to race. I could see every detail in that moment. His flawless pale skin…the small ring of brown around his irises in his eyes before it's overwhelmed by the amber.

 _'What is he doing?'_ I think to myself frantically, before his forehead lands against my own firmly and he closes his eyes. I hesitate before doing the same, and the relief washes over me in a tidal wave. I feel warmth quickly washing away the cold.

_I feel safe._

* * *

**Inuyasha's POV**

_'What the hell am I_ doing?! _'_ I can't help thinking inwardly as I feel the skin of her forehead against my own. I take in a deep breath of her scent, cherry blossoms mixed in with something sweet. Honey? She had looked so lost after she had come back to her senses, and _scared._ Her heart had been racing incredibly fast, so much so that I was sure it would've beaten right out of her chest given half the chance.

Something had frightened her. No, it had downright _terrified_ her.

Despite everything she had seen since she had come here I had never seen her look as scared as she did just then. Something deep inside had called on me to somehow _fix it._

This had been my first reaction to do so. It was basic, something that I know demons other than myself had do to calm their mates. I had seen it for myself over my hundreds of years. Had even tried it on Kikyo once when she had been really upset, but over what I couldn't remember. It hadn't comforted her, not like it was Yua right now. It made me feel _good_ to know I could do this for her.

It made me feel _possessive._

I felt a sense of intense relaxation as I just stood there with her under the morning sun, taking in her scent and the feeling of warmth radiating from her body. We were still standing a good distance apart, with only our foreheads touching, but the connection made me feel like we were pressed together from head to foot.

I had never felt something this strong before. Not even with Mayumi.

_Mayumi._

I snap my head back suddenly, catching the look of disappointment flash in her green eyes before she expertly hid it. Thankfully she allows me to pull back, giving me some much needed air.

"We should probably stop there for today." I find my voice, and surprisingly it isn't as weak as I feel in that moment. "Go and get something to eat. We'll meet here tomorrow morning." Even _I_ can admit that sounded a little abrupt. I see that same disappointment from seconds ago flash over her face, before she nods and offers me a small smile.

"Okay. Uh, thanks…for that." She murmurs, and I know she referring to what I just did. I can't answer her, only nod as she turns and leaves.

Taking her scent and warmth with her.

* * *

**Yua's POV**

Needless to say the rest of my day was a total disaster. I couldn't concentrate. Instead I was constantly replaying the moment Inuyasha's forehead had touched my own, and the scene that had unfolded afterwards. He had looked so _ashamed._

 _'Why, though? He hadn't done anything wrong. If anything he had done everything_ right. _'_ I frown as I look over the river, chewing on my lower lip.

 ** _'In his mind he felt guilty.'_** Mayumi replies gently. ** _'He brought you comfort in a way that he only ever had done for me. I know it might not seem like it to you, but what he did was_ very _intimate, only reserved for those considered to be pack.'_**

 _'Pack?'_ I question, nose wrinkling. _'What the hell do you mean by_ that? _'_

 ** _'You need to remember that he is part dog demon, and dog demons typically have a need to belong to a group. A pack. Unless they are a rogue, that is.'_** She explains patiently. **_'When we were together we were a pack. Inuyasha was the Alpha in his mind, and I was his Beta. It was instinctual for him to think that way, but being half human our relationship was a little different than if he had been completely demon. Our relationship was…_ softer _for a lack of a better word. He treated me as an equal, rather than a subordinate.'_**

 _'You were his pack, then?'_ I ask, still feeling a little confused despite her trying to explain it to me. Another term comes to mind, so I decide to try throwing it out there. _'Were you his_ mate?' Demons like him took on the characteristics of their animal namesakes, right? Animals had mates. It made sense in my mind.

 ** _'No.'_** Mayumi giggled a little. **_'We weren't mates, but we loved each other. That was enough for the both of us at the time.'_** She pauses for a moment, before speaking in a more serious tone. **_'I know you think Inuyasha is a lot of things, but above all else he is loyal to a fault. It's part of what made me fall in love with him.'_** She admits softly, and I feel guilt wash over me.

 _'And now you had to see him treat me like I was you. You had to feel what I had felt when he had held_ me. _'_ I clarify, not really needing an answer. _'I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to get caught up like that.'_

 ** _'Yua,_ stop _apologizing. I told you that I've let go, and I mean it. I'm more concerned about what had caused you to react like you had when he had grabbed you. I could feel your fear even though I was completely behind our barrier. It was_ intense. _'_** I stiffen, pulling my knees in tighter to my chest.

 _'I didn't exactly have a great life before I came to live at the Higurashi Shrine with my relatives.'_ I frown deeply.

 ** _'Did you feel like talking about it?'_** Mayumi asks gently, and I shake my head to myself.

 _'Not really. Not yet.'_ I reply honestly, and Mayumi thankfully seems to understand as she gently drifts off, leaving me alone to my thoughts once more. As I gaze out over the glimmering river, one thought echoes in my head.

How was I going to face Inuyasha tomorrow?

* * *

"Greetings and salutations, Inuyasha." I blink in shock as I look down at the large flea-like creature that was currently attached to Inuyasha's chest, a red welt from a bite on his skin. It had been slightly amusing to watch him suddenly jump in the middle of demonstrating how to bust someone's knee with a well-delivered kick, quickly trying to jerk his kimono top apart.

"You…you have _fleas?_ " I can't help choking out in amusement, to which Inuyasha throws me a disgusted look.

" _Flea!_ Just _one!_ " He argues, his amber eyes narrowing at me in annoyance, before he looks down at the flea on his chest. He doesn't wait a second longer as he smacks his palm over the flea, the poor creature groaning as Inuyasha brings his hand out to see. The flea is pancaked to his palm, but clearly still alive.

 _'He looks like an old man, but with the body of a flea…'_ I think, finding it weirdly fascinating. _'What kind of demons_ aren't _there?'_

"His name is Myoga, and he's a pest passed down to me by my Father." Inuyasha gripes, frown on his face. However, I'm more focused on the mention of his paternal heritage.

 _'Inuyasha's Father must have been the demon then, his Mother must have been human.'_ I deduce, figuring that a demonic flea wouldn't be associated with a human. Myoga slowly removes himself from Inuyasha's palm, floating down to land on the ground. I kneel with the silver-haired boy as he begins his interrogation.

"So what did you need to see me about?"

"Lord Inuyasha!" Myoga suddenly pops up as if nothing had happened.

 _'Lord?'_ I think, bemused as I glance at the handsome boy next to me. _'He's_ nobility? _'_

"I've come to tell you there is news about your Father's tomb!" Myoga exclaims, his four arms flapping around in excitement. "Someone is trying to find it!" I lean back on my knees, frowning.

Inuyasha's Father is _dead?_

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha asks, clearly confused.

"As guardian of his final resting place, I could bear it no longer." Myoga sits down, looking up at us with a solemn expression. Inuyasha, however, seems less than impressed.

"So you took off and came here instead?" He demands. Thunder suddenly rumbles in the distance. I glance overhead behind us, seeing the dark clouds building just over the mountains.

"Uh, we should probably head back to the village." I murmur, pointing to the angry looking sky on the horizon. Inuyasha looks as well, frowning.

"Fine, let's go." He mutters, standing. I stand as well, a little surprised as Myoga jumps up, landing on my shoulder. I look to him as he seems to survey me intensely.

"I've heard of you, reincarnation of Mayumi." He informs me seriously. I inwardly sigh, feeling annoyance at once again being identified because of someone else.

"My name is _Yua._ " I reply firmly frowning, the flea humming slightly. "And you can hitch a ride so long as you don't _bite me._ "

"Deal, Lady Yua." I flush at the title, quickly shaking my head.

"No, no. Not Lady, _never_ Lady. Just Yua."

* * *

"It's the remains that are important, and they are no longer there." Myoga goes on to explain later as we all sat around the warm fire, the sound of rain pounding against the roof. Thunder would roll through the sky every now and then, further setting the solemn mood of talking about Inuyasha's dead Father.

"So where are the remains then?" Inuyasha frowns, straightening up.

"Regretably, sire, no one knows." Myoga replies, and I'm once again hit with the fact that Inuyasha was a _Lord_.

 _'I honestly never would have guessed it.'_ I frown a little. _'He's never even_ mentioned _his title before.'_

"Some guardian you are." Inuyasha mutters, leaning his head against his hand as he continues to look less than impressed.

"Inuyasha," Kaede begins, "they say your Father was a phantom beast. That the Western Lands were his domain." I find myself subconsciously leaning forward, attention now fully on the elderly priestess.

"Can't say as I remember it that well." Inuyasha admits in a bored tone, clearly not as enthralled as I was.

"Your Father was a demon among demons. Great and powerful." Myoga goes on, supporting Kaede's claim. "His blood was especially delicious, and you, Lord Inuyasha, have inherited that from him." He adds as if in afterthought. I wrinkle my nose slightly in disgust. What a thing to say about someone! "Your Mother was a beauty beyond compare-" Myoga goes to continue, but is cut short as Inuyasha moves swiftly, digging his heel down on the poor flea. I blink in surprise, looking from Inuyasha's heel to his face filled with irritation. He jumps down silently, heading for the door.

"Hey, it's still raining out!" I frown in concern. His abrupt exit, while not entirely uncharacteristic, surprised me. Especially because talking about his Mother had seemed to trigger him.

"Whatever." He mutters moodily, shoving the covering to the side and stepping out into the pouring rain.

"What was _that_ about?" I frown, looking towards Myoga then as he once again recovered from being squished. Maybe _that_ was the flea's ability?

"Lord Inuyasha's Mother, Lady Izayoi, died a long time ago. He has always preferred not to speak of her. I should have known better." He informed us gravely. I look towards the doorway that Inuyasha had exited, my chest aching as it was clear how much his Mother had meant to him. He had hardly flinched at the mention of his Father, but Myoga speaking of his Mother had caused him to lash out.

 _'I would have thought it'd have been the opposite.'_ I frown. _'Inuyasha seems to be so in tune with his demon side, and resentful of his human. After all, he was willing to give up his human side to become full demon.'_

 ** _'You should go after him. Talk to him.'_** Mayumi urges, her own voice carrying a hint of worry.

 _'Are you sure that would be welcomed? He seems like the type that when he wants to be left alone, he_ wants _to be left alone.'_ I reply, feeling unsure.

 ** _'Trust me on this one.'_** Mayumi breaks off our connection completely, backing down deep within me.

 _'Where is she going?'_ I can't help thinking in confusion. She had only receded so far on a couple of occasions. Usually I could still feel her even when she was behind the barrier, just barely, but she was always there. This time there was no trace of her. Looking out the window I can see that the rain hasn't stopped, but it's gotten much lighter. Deciding to do as she asked, and to trust her judgement, I rise from where I am sitting.

"Where are ye going, child?" Kaede asks with a frown, and I give her a small smile.

"I'll be back soon, don't worry." I reply, for some reasons reluctantly to admit to her that I was going to seek Inuyasha out. It felt like it should be private. I slip on my shoes, stepping out into the mild rain. It was just sprinkling now, the odd raindrop falling onto my cheeks as I look up to the much lighter sky. I start moving, my feet carrying me towards the riverside. Somehow I had known I would find him here.

Where he and Mayumi had first met.

 _'He's_ soaked. _'_ I frown deeply in concern as I spot him in the tree, looking up towards the sky. I come to stand under the tree, lifting my right hand up to rest it on the bark. Do I let him know I'm here? Does he already know?

Suddenly the skies open up and it begins to absolutely pour again. I can't help a gasp as lightening lights the sky and strikes down somewhere in the forest nearby, the crack of thunder nearly deafening as the very ground beneath me shakes. I can feel the rain quickly soaking me through to the skin.

Before suddenly it's not.

Red surrounds me, and I look up to my right to see Inuyasha looking down at me from the canopy he had created over our heads with his kimono top.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?! You're going to get yourself _sick!_ " Inuyasha exclaims over the roaring of the rain, looking equally as drenched as I am.

"I wanted to come and check on you!" I cry back, frowning in concern. Inuyasha's amber eyes widen, going from looking slightly pissed off to surprised. The surprise quickly goes back to his normal look of annoyance.

"Come on!" He growls, his one arm moving to wrap firmly around my waist and drawing me tightly into his side. The side of the kimono he had to let go of flops wetly against my cheek, but I hardly have time to register that before he's leaping off further away from he village.

"Where are you taking us?!" I call out over the storm, lifting the side of his kimono that had fallen away from my face. By now the material is so saturated it's hardly doing anything to keep the rain off of us anyways.

"Someplace safe to wait out the storm!" He calls back, and before long he lands in front of what looks to be an abandoned hut on the outskirts of the forest. We rush in, and I look around in slight awe at the place. Admittedly there isn't much to it. The hut consisted of one room with a raised wooden floor and fireplace directly in the center, much like Kaede's. I look around, firewood stacked neatly on the one wall.

Had he been _living_ here since he had woken?

"Inuyasha, what is this place?" I ask, my teeth clattering as the cold from my drenched clothes starts to register. Frowning he shakes out his kimono in the entrance, before tossing it on the wooden floor for now. He moves over to the pile of wood and starts to stack them in the fireplace.

"I made this hut fifty years ago." He replies, using his claws to spark a fire. It casts a subtle glow as it begins to build, before finally it's roaring to life. "Get over here and warm up." He orders, and without question I move over to kneel in front of the fire, holding my hands out palms up towards the flames. The silence weighs on us heavily for a long while, my thoughts spinning as the warm fire quickly begins to dry us off.

 _'Fifty years ago? That must have been right before he was pinned to the tree.'_ I realize, glancing around at the now well lit room. "You put a lot of work into this place."

"Yeah, well, it was only the start. I was going to add rooms to it." He mutters offhandedly, moving to sit on the other side of the fire.

"Rooms?" I ask lightly.

"Yeah, for kids."

_My heart nearly stops._

I look up towards Inuyasha with shock, my mouth falling open slightly while he stares into the flames. It was like he was looking, but not really seeing. I swallow thickly then, realizing he was talking about Mayumi.

He and Mayumi had wanted _children._

 _He_ had wanted children.

"Don't look so shocked." Inuyasha mutters lightly, his amber eyes glancing up across the fire towards me. I snap my mouth closed, feeling a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry. I just never thought you'd…" I trail off awkwardly, and a small smirk passes over his lips.

"Because _now_ I wouldn't. I had only ever considered kids with Mayumi, and it was because she wanted them with me." He replies simply. "Before her I thought the worst thing I could _ever_ do was bring a baby into this world." He frowned deeply.

"Why would you say something like _that?_ " I ask gently. I mean, sure, babies weren't exactly on my radar just yet, but even at my age I had thought about it once or twice. It would be nice to have a family that was mine, to be able to raise my kids better than how I had been. Give them the chances I didn't get.

"They would have demon blood in them because of me." Inuyasha frowns, grabbing a stick and stoking the fire. "They'd be outcasts, not belonging anywhere." His tone turns softer, and I instantly know he's thinking of his own experiences.

 _'I had never really thought about that before. How tough it must have been to grow up half in one world, and half in the other. Even more so because the two worlds you are a part of don't co-exist well.'_ I reflect, chewing on my lower lip.

"How did Mayumi change your mind?" I can't help asking softly. Inuyasha looks at me slightly surprised, before relaxing as he answers my question.

"Just being _her._ I knew our kids could have a chance at a good life with her as their Mother." Inuyasha murmurs, and I feel my chest ache anew for him. He reaches for his kimono he had laid on the floor near the fire, obviously satisfied with how dry it now was as he pulled it back around himself.

 _'Why can't I tell him about you, again?'_ I think to Mayumi, guilt washing overly me heavily. She doesn't answer.

Suddenly Inuyasha stiffens, his nose going into the air as he visibly sniffs. His posture is stiff, before he jumps up quickly and heads for the door of his hut. I get up, rushing over with him and looking out the doorway as well.

"Be. _Silent._ " He mutters lowly, his whole body almost vibrating with the growl that suddenly emits from deep in his chest.

Then _I_ feel it.

A wave of insanely strong aura hits me harder than any has before now. It's powerful, domineering, and incredibly intimidating.

 _'Who does that_ belong _to?'_ I think to myself as a chill spreads down my spine. I feel Inuyasha's chest brush against my back as he shifts, looking at the surroundings. The rain eerily stops, clouds parting to reveal something I'd never in my life thought I'd see.

_A carriage floating in the sky._

The carriage is surrounded by what looks like little green amphibian guards, all floating high in the sky above us. The wind blows, the flap on the back of the carriage lifting to reveal a gorgeous dark haried woman wearing a pink kimono. Inuyasha pushes past me outside, his eyes never leaving the carriage.

" _Mother?_ " He asks in disbelief.

Say _what?_

"It _is_ you! Inuyasha!" The woman's voice carries out over the wind. Chains suddenly tighten around her cruelly, and she cries out in pain.

"Mother!" Inuyasha calls out, running a few paces. I follow him closely, frowning even more in concern for the woman above us.

Shouldn't she be dead? Wasn't that what everyone was saying?

 _'This seems so real._ She _seems so real.'_ I think to myself in amazement, my hand reaching out and grabbing onto Inuyasha's sleeve. "Wait, Inuyasha, just _think._ You said she died long ago." I remind him, swallowing thickly. Was someone really powerful enough to play a trick like this?

Or to bring back the dead?

Inuyasha hesitates, glaring up into the sky as the guards leave the carriage, letting it sail up further into the clouds. His Mother calls out his name desperately, and I know it's taking everything in his willpower not to completely lose it.

And then a massive clawed hand reaches out from above the cloud cover.

The carriage floats right into it's grasp, and the three fingered hand crushes the wood easily, as if it had been built with toothpicks. The cloud clears, revealing an eighty foot monster with blaring red eyes. It's skin was dark in color, the hair on its head a shade of dirty grey. Horns poked out from the demon's forehead to complete the monstrous look. There, in it's paw, now lay Inuyasha's unconscious Mother.

Regardless if this was a trick, could we really risk doing nothing?

Inuyasha charges forward, before having to dodge a fire ball as it flares up and races towards him. There on the monster's bicep stood a toad looking creature with a wooden staff. On that staff there were two heads carved out; one of a woman, and one of a man. As he lets out the second fireball I can see the mouth of the man's head open, releasing it.

"You _missed!_ " Inuyasha shouts out in victory.

"Jaken!" A stern low voice calls out, the reptile demon turning to look towards it's owner. Only then do I notice a man with silver hair, much like Inuyasha's, standing further up on the larger horned demon's shoulders. He was dressed in a white kimono with a decorative red patterns on it's sleeves and right shoulder. On his right shoulder I'm shocked when I see his arm is threaded through what looks to be some sort of large metal bear trap, his left shoulder holding what looked to be a fluffy boa that draped over his back. He had a powerful presence, and a handsome face that stared at us with little emotion. Two purple marks in the shape of triangles painted each cheek, and a crescent moon his his forehead. That wasn't really what caught my attention.

 _His eyes._ His eyes look _identical_ to Inuyasha's in colour.

"Yes, milord!" The reptile replies nervously, looking eager to please his master.

"I want him _dead._ " The man orders calmly, his gravelly voice octaves lower than Inuyasha's. I feel a chill rush down my spine hearing it. Everything about this man exuded power, and commanded respect.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha shouts out angrily all of a suddenly, glaring at the figure above us.

"Indeed, I've quite missed you as well _little brother._ " Sesshomaru gives a small smirk, his face filled with a light amusement as he looks down at us.

Say _what?!_

I look between the two of them then, and at the same time I see the similarities and the differences in their appearances. Even in the way that they hold themselves. Inuyasha was all passion and action, whereas Sesshomaru gave off this vibe of cold collection. It was clear he was the older sibling, but something other than that set them apart as well.

 _'Is he a_ full _dog demon?'_ I can't help but wonder, hands clenching tightly into fists. _'Is this what Inuyasha could have been? What he has_ wanted _to be?'_

"A little, weak mortal, how _interesting._ " Sesshomaru's amber eyes narrow in on me as I stand just feet behind Inuyasha. My back straightens, feeling the clear threat that came with him noticing me. "Others would be ashamed, but with you little brother, the girl quite suits you." I feel irritation spike from deep inside of me, and I know in that instance that it's Mayumi finally coming back to surface.

 ** _'I'll show him a weak mortal!'_** Mayumi growls lowly, before I feel her forcefully manipulating my energy, causing it to burst forth from inside of me. I blink in shock, my body now covered by the purple haze of my aura.

 _'What happened to playing it_ cool _and letting me keep control?!'_ I panic slightly, and Mayumi growls once more.

 ** _'Inuyasha told me stories of how Sesshomaru went out of his way to make his life a living hell. If you had_ any _idea what this asshole has done to Inuyasha in the past you'd be_ just _as pissed as me!'_** At that another burst of energy comes off of me, shocking even Inuyasha as he glances towards me with wide eyes.

" _What?_ I've been _training!_ " I try to cover up. _'Seriously, Mayumi,_ chill! _Or your cover_ will _be blown!'_ Mayumi grumbles disdainfully sulking back behind our barrier once more. Once she's gone my aura disappears from around me, but the energy is still there waiting just below the surface.

"Maybe not just a simple human after all." Sesshomaru replies, having obviously felt my energy output. He still hardly sounded impressed. Suddenly the monster, by wordless command, tightens the chain around Inuyasha's Mother's neck, lifting her head up as she whimpers in pain. "I should think you would have had enough of them, especially after I heard that your lover was killed by that priestess all those years ago." He states coldly, and I can feel Inuyasha shaking with rage beside me. "Or maybe our Father's weakness has been passed down to you."

"He's not weak!" I spit out then, glaring up at Inuyasha's older brother. Sesshomaru looks slightly amused.

"You should train your pet better." Sesshomaru quickly replies, clearly brushing me off.

"Why have you come all this way, Sesshomaru?" Inuyasha demands, his first held out in threat. "I know it wouldn't be just to tell me how disgusted you are in my choices."

"Be not a fool." Sesshomaru frowns at him then. "I have no such time to waste. The tomb of our Father, where must I seek it?" I blink in surprise. Sesshomaru seemed to hold nothing but disgust for their Father, so why would he be looking for the remains?

"Our Father's tomb? Why ask me?!" Inuyasha frowns, and I can tell he's anxious as his eyes continue to dart between his brother to his mother laying in the monster's grip.

" _Seeing, yet never seen. Protected, yet never known to it's protector._ " Sesshomaru begins to recite the weird passage. "No other clues are known."

"I got no idea what you're talking about." Inuyasha responds, and even I can tell there is honesty behind his words. "Besides, even if I did, there is no way I'd tell you!" He adds spitefully.

 _'Not smart, Inuyasha.'_ I inwardly groan. ' _You don't have to incite him, especially when he has a hold of your Mother!'_

"I see. Then you leave me no choice but to let your Mother's suffering convince you." I feel my stomach drop, watching as Sesshomaru's nails of his left hand elongate into some sort of whip, striking at the side of the face of his monster. It roars in pain as simultaneously his large hand starts to slowly squeeze the life out of Inuyasha's Mother.

"That won't work, stupid! She's been _dead_ for _years_ and we both know it! Like I'd really fall for some stupid trick like that!" Inuyasha calls to him, but his voice wavers slightly as the woman above us lets out a pained groan.

"A _trick,_ is it?" Sesshomaru smirks.

"You're the one that's stupid. Recalling spirits from the Netherworld is a simple task, if you are Lord Sesshomaru." Jaken's voice holds a tone of superiority as he talks of his master, and even I'm starting to be convinced.

This really _could_ be Inuyasha's Mother? Was a demon like Sesshomaru powerful enough to raise the _dead?_

"He was even so kind as to give her flesh!" Jaken continues. "And yet her own son would deny it. How sad to be Mother to one such as you." He goes on cruelly. The amphibian-like creatures from before reappear, tugging and pulling at her chains.

"I-Inuyasha." She calls out weakly, reaching her hand out towards her son. I look to Inuyasha, his cold indifference towards the woman replaced with what looked to be warm amazement. "I've come back, Inuyasha! Back from the world of the dead!" The woman reiterates, before passing out as those awful creatures straggle her further in the chains.

"Stop _hurting_ her!" Inuyasha cries out desperately.

Enough was enough.

I frown, concentrating my energy as I form my bow and arrow with my aura, tilting it up to aim directly at his brother.

"Let his Mother go, or I'll shoot." I call up to Sesshomaru, but he looks hardly fazed.

"What makes you think you'd be able to harm me?" He asks coldly, before whipping the monster again. Inuyasha jumps into action, heading straight for his Mother as I let my arrow fly. The arrow meets its mark, hitting Sesshomaru's right shoulder as my aura bursts from where the tip making contact. With a surprised grunt he stumbles back, both he and the monster momentarily distracted as Inuyasha swoops in.

" ** _IRON REAVER SOUL STEALER!_** " He cries out as he cuts straight through the monster's arm. I pale, watching as his Mother starts to fall the long distance towards the ground. Out of instinct I reach out, concentrating sending my aura underneath of her to do my best to slow her fall. Thankfully succeeding I run over to where she landed, chasing off those little toad creatures.

"Are you alright?" I frown, kneeling down and gently unwrapping the heavy chains from around her.

"Yua! You and her get out of here!" Inuyasha suddenly shouts over his shoulder. I frown, looking up then and watching as Sesshormaru glares down directly at me, his hand covering the wound on his shoulder with his skin charred around it.

"I think not." His low voice rumbles over the clearing, and he once again whips at his monster, the beast screaming in pain. Suddenly the monster reaches out with his remaining arm, heading directly towards us.

"MOTHER!" Inuyasha screams, but I know he wouldn't reach us in time. I move quickly around in front of her.

 _'I have to protect her, for_ Inuyasha's _sake.'_ I think to myself desperately, calling forth my energy then and creating a barrier around us both. The monster's hand squeezes around the bubble my aura creates, the force of it causing me to wince as my knees buckle.

"Yua, Mother, get yourselves out of there!" Inuyasha screams, but both he and I know if I let this barrier go then his Mother was dead.

Along with me.

I can feel the hand closing down on us, forced down to my knees as my bubble of energy gets smaller and smaller.

"I can't hold this for much longer!" I cry out to Inuyasha, feeling myself start to panic. What was I going to do?! Suddenly there is a blinding light that comes from behind me.

And darkness rushes right in after it.

* * *

I can hear the sound of water before I even open my eyes. Looking ahead there is a gazebo that straddles the pond, green grass everywhere and trees in the distance. Inuyasha was standing near it with his Mother on the grassy bank.

Where were we?

I try to move to get up, heart pounding as I realize I am frozen to the spot.

_'What's happening to me?'_

**_'You're awake!'_** Mayumi's voice screams in my head. **_'It's Inuyasha! He's in trouble!'_**

_'He's fine! He's right there with his Mother.'_

**_'Look at her_ reflection! _'_**

I frown, doing as Mayumi says, and my eyes widen in shock.

_She had no face._


	7. The Sword In The Stone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!
> 
> A HUGE shout out to: Cleo_Martin_01, LorettaLee1880, CatNapTime, Wolvesnight, and LunaDeath1 as well as 2 guests who have left kudos on my story! 
> 
> Wolvesnight: Thank you so much for your kind words! It's really bringing me down memory lane too. I'm enjoying re-watching the episodes as I write :). Hope you enjoy this chapter too!
> 
> ONWARD

My mouth moves as I try to call out to Inuyasha, but no sounds comes out. How was I going to warn him?!

 _'If that isn't his Mother, then who_ is _she?!'_ I ask Mayumi, continuing to struggle.

 _ **'She's Mu-on'na, the Unmother.'**_ Mayumi explains gravely. ** _'A demon born through the grief of a mother suffering the loss of her children from famine and war.'_** My eyes widen in disbelief hearing her.

_'How does that happen?'_

_**'No one really knows.'** _Mayumi replies. **_'They absorb the souls of the living to try and fill the void from loss.'_** If I wasn't already frozen I would be, my gaze locked on Inuyasha.

 _'She's going to try and take his_ soul?! _'_

**_'At this rate she won't try, she'll_ succeed. _Inuyasha is blinded by his love for his Mother, and the loss he has felt over the years from her death. He was only a child when she passed from sickness.'_**

_'Sickness?'_ I frown inwardly. It was all coming together. Inuyasha's Mother had died because she was human, from something that a demon could have easily healed from. _'He doesn't resent humans for their weakness, he's_ afraid _for them.'_

"Inuyasha." Mu-on'na speaks through his Mother's body. "I must return now to the Netherworld."

"D-do you have to?" Inuyasha asks, and my heart aches at how vulnerable his voice sounds in that moment. Mu-on'na reaches up with both of her hands, summoning what looks to be a pink lotus between them. She guides it to the water, allowing it to fall apart as the petals hit the surface.

"The petals. Look into the water." She commands gently, Inuyasha moving to the edge of the bank and doing so without question. His expression goes to one of slight surprise as he looks on at the surface, but I can't tell what he's seeing.

"That's _me,_ back when I was still small." Inyasha states in awe, and I can only imagine what he's seeing as Mu-on'na comes to stand behind him. She slowly wraps her arms around him, pulling him back against her.

"You remember! That's good." Mu-on'na says, sounding genuinely relieved. "As a child I often held you that way." Inuyasha leans back in, his face soft as he looks over his shoulder at what he thinks is his Mother's face. "I held you to my heart, just as I am doing now." He hums, closing his eyes and turning around to lean into her, hugging her back. Mu-on'na hands reach around, before I feel fear grip me once more as I see her fingers slowly disappearing into Inuyasha's back.

 _'Can't he_ feel _that?!'_ I think frantically. His face shows discomfort, but he doesn't move.

"I'll never let go, not now, not ever." Mu-on'na promises, and Inuyasha's head falls limply to her shoulder.

 _'I've got to move!'_ I struggle once more, before my eyes widen as suddenly a chain appears over my arm. _'What?!'_ I gasp, the little toad like creatures slowly appearing around me as the scene disappears.

 ** _'Mu-on'na created the scene to trick Inuyasha into fully believing she was his Mother. It's one of the tricks an Unmother has up her sleeve.'_ **Mayumi frowns as the green grass fades away to dirt ground, and soon the real scene reveals itself. We're on the edge of a pond, but it's not nearly as beautiful as the scene we had just left. In fact, the pond looks polluted, filled with the bones of dead animals that had drank the poisoned water.

"Yua! You _need_ to snap out of it!" A familiar voice suddenly echoes in my ear. "It's me! Myoga the Flea!" I can feel him jumping around on the side of my face, but for some reason I still feel frozen. Had I been _drugged?_

Then, suddenly, the damn flea bites me.

I bring my hand up and smack the side of my face, and as soon as I do the little creatures go running away from me, my chains loosening. I sit up, letting Myoga go with slight annoyance.

"What had I said about _biting_ me?" I snap at him irritably as I pull my hand from my face, the flea demon squashed against my palm.

"A thousand apologies, Yua." He replies weakly, before popping back up, seemingly fully restored from the slap. I frown, before turning onto my knees as I push the chains as quietly as I can off of my form. Crawling over towards a nearby boulder, I hide behind it as I gather my bearings.

 _'Inuyasha!'_ His body was half enveloped into the chest of the Mu-on'na. _'Mayumi, what do we_ do? _'_ Before she can answer me Jaken appears, rushing forward and striking the Unmother with his staff.

"No soul sucking till I _tell_ you!" Jaken exclaims, his voice grating on my nerves.

"Sorry!" Mu-on'na apologizes, and stops pulling Inuyasha further into her body.

"You can have your way with him later! After he tells us how to find the tomb of Lord Sesshomaru and Inuyasha's Father!" He promises her.

 _'Not if I have anything to say about it.'_ My eyes are drawn to his staff, remembering how the male face had appeared to be some sort of feudal flame thrower before. I look to where Myoga now settled on my shoulder. "What's with his staff?"

"It's called the Staff Of Two Heads, and it's a powerful weapon. It pulls most of it's power from the elements of water and fire." Myoga explains. "You must be careful."

 ** _'If the male's head produced fire, then the female's will no doubt produce water.'_** Mayumi chimes in.

"Inuyasha? Your Father's tomb, where is it? Please tell me." Mu-on'na speaks to him then, and I move quietly around from behind the boulder.

"I don't know." Inuyasha responds weakly.

"Then think _harder!_ Let me see into your heart!" Mu-on'na replies urgently, before gasping "What's that?"

"Black pearl, on the right." Inuyasha replies weakly.

"What black pearl?! _Where?!_ We need more than that! Go _deeper!_ " Jaken exclaims impatiently.

"But, Lord Jaken, if I delve deeper his spirit will be _broken._ " Mu-on'na pleads.

"I don't care. _Do it!_ " Jaken replies callously. I frown deeply, summoning my energy to create a bow and arrow. "What's taking so long?! Get a move on before Sesshomaru comes back a-" I pressed the hazy purple tip of it against Jaken's head.

" _Let Inuyasha go._ " I command in a hard voice, glaring down at the back of his head. "Let him go, or you'll end up with an extra hole in your face." Jaken stills for a moment with that threat, clearly uneasy. I look up towards the Unmother then. "Go on, order her to let him go!"

"Do as she says!" Jaken suddenly cries out as I press the arrow's tip harder against him. "Let him go!"

" _No!_ " The Unmother cries out in defiance, quickly moving away. I panic, kicking Jaken to the side without a second thought and sending him flying before I rush after them. Inuyasha's body was slowly disappearing into her, only half of him left visible. I come to a stop yards away, an image in a large puddle catching my eye. It was an image of Mu-on'na holding a child version of Inuyasha!

 ** _'An illusion like the one before! Break it and we can save him!'_** Mayumi cries out. I release my arrow into the puddle without a second through, the entire thing evaporating as my energy meets the water.

With a scream the Unmother thankfully releases him.

Relief flood through me as Inuyasha sits up on his own, breathing heavily. I kneel beside him, my hands instinctively reaching out to touch him, to make sure that he was actually here and safe. I could feel his racing heart with my hand on his back, the other gripping onto the sleeve of his kimono. He closes his eyes tightly, as if trying to ground himself too, before they snap open as alert as ever.

"How _dare_ she?!" His amber eyes glare at the Unmother, looking absolutely betrayed and heartbroken. "You pretended to be…I _fell_ for it! I can't _believe_ I thought she was my-!"

"I'm _so_ _sorry,_ Inuyasha." I frown squeezing his arm gently with my hand. "It was Jaken and Sesshomaru. They put her up to this."

" _What did you say?!_ " Inuyasha snaps, his amber eyes blazing as they turn to look at me. I know he heard me the first time.

"Inu _yasha._ " Sesshomaru's voice carries over us then. In the tall grass his half-brother emerges from the haze. "I know where it is now." He states confidently as he strides towards us.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha yells, turning towards his brother. Quicker than my eyes could catch, Sesshomaru speeds across the distance between us. Just as suddenly as he appeared, he was there clutching at Inuyasha's throat. I feel rage that I know is _all_ mine hot in my stomach.

"Let him _GO!_ " I shout, my hand glowing purple as my energy spikes. I grab onto the forearm of the hand Sesshomaru was currently using to hold Inuyasha, the smell of burning skin quickly filling my nose.

Sesshomaru hardly flinches.

It happens before I can react, his other arm easily swiping me to the side and sending me flying through the air.

"YUA!"

I skid along the ground yards away, groaning as a burning hot pain runs up my right side. My right shoulder had taken the impact of my landing. I brace my hand against it as I slowly sit up, seeing the angry burn mark in the perfect shape of my hand on Sesshomaru's forearm.

 _'That barely_ touched _him.'_ I think in disbelief, eyes wide.

"Of all the places for him to hide it." Sesshomaru continues as if nothing had disrupted him. "All this time beneath our very own noses, or _above_ them as it were." He goes on cryptically, lifting Inuyasha by the neck up higher into the air. " _Right_ above, one might say."

What the hell was he going on about?

"Father was determined to keep it a secret, which is why he chose here to hide it." Sesshomaru states with slight humor.

"What are you _talking_ about?!" Inuyasha demands, grabbing at his injured forearm with his own hand. "You're making no sense at all!"

"Well then, little brother, since it was obviously done without your knowledge how would you like to come with me and find out?" He responds, raising his left hand now and slowly moving it towards Inuyasha's eye as the half demon struggles in his hold. I stand up slowly, trying to reach for my energy but finding it nearly depleted.

 _'What am I going to do now?'_ I ask myself in panic as I intently watch Sesshomaru's left hand. He points two clawed fingers right at Inuyasha's right eye, a yellow static energy coursing from his fingers. I stumble back towards the brothers as Inuyasha's cry of pain echoes throughout the clearing.

 _'I-it's like he's trying to damage his eye. Why do that?!'_ I frown, letting my shoulder go and clenching both of my hands into fists. I felt so useless as he slowly draws his fingers away, the static light seemingly pulling something from Inuyasha's eye as he continues to scream in pain. A small glowing orb comes directly out from his iris, and Sesshomaru drops him carelessly as he stares at it in his hand. As quickly as possible I come to Inuyasha's side.

"Are you alright?" I ask in genuine concern as he covers his damaged right eye with his hand.

"No wonder searching for it beneath ground was useless." Sesshomaru speaks up, redirecting our attention towards him. My eyes widen as I see a black pearl, not unlike Inuyasha's real iris, held between his index finger and thumb. It glowed faintly and I felt a shiver rush down my spine as the energy from the tiny orb washes over me. " _Seeing, yet not seen. Protected, yet never known to it's protector._ " He quotes those lines from before, and it all starts to piece together.

Inuyasha's Father's tomb had been locked away in his _eye?_

"Our Father's tomb hidden inside a black pearl deep within your eye." Sesshomaru confirms.

"All this for something like _that?_ " Inuyasha shouts in anger, standing slowly. "You pretended she was my _Mother!_ " He cries out, hurt clear in his voice. I stand with him at his side, frowning as I notice the Unwoman slowly raise her head from where she laid on the ground.

"You're not amused?" Sesshomaru asks, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.

"No, I'm not." Inuyasha growls lowly, before launching forward with his clawed hand extended. "You _bastard!_ " Sesshomaru evades the attack, launching himself up into the air.

"Die." He seems to simply command, the whip he had used from before on his monster reappearing as he snaps it at Inuyasha. I watch intently as he dodges the first few strikes, before being hit directly in the chest and sent to the ground.

 _'NO!'_ I gasp, feet already moving in his direction as Sesshomaru makes his final attack.

Suddenly Mu-on'na leaps _in front_ of Inuyasha, taking the hit for him and exploding into pieces with a blinding light. I stop in shock, eyes wide with disbelief.

_She sacrificed herself for him._

"Demon spirit or not, she still had a Mother's heart." Myoga comments as he lands on my shoulder, clearly taking in my surprise. "Isn't protecting her child something a Mother can't help but do?"

 _'Not always.'_ I can't help thinking as a frown slowly creeps onto my face, thinking of my own Mother.

"My boy…" The Unmother's voice echoes around us, still sounding like Inuyasha's Mother. It catches his attention as he looks from the scrap of her kimono that had landed on his shoulder towards her severed, faceless head. He's regarding her with uncertainty and shock.

And then Sesshomaru makes quick work, using his whip to disintegrate her head altogether.

What a _heartless_ bastard.

"Jaken! Jaken!" Sesshomaru calls for his henchman as I reach down to try and help Inuyasha to his feet. He brushes my hands away stubbornly, getting up on his own.

"Aye, milord!" Jaken's voice calls in return as he appears, staff in hand. He rushes up to Sesshomaru, raising the staff up towards him. Sesshomaru takes the staff, before looking at the pearl in between his thumb and finger.

"At last the moment has come." His lips turn up, almost in a grin, before he drops the pearl onto the ground. In one smooth motion he brings the point of the staff down onto it, and a blast of energy rushes outwards with a blinding light. An eerie laughter can be heard, and it takes me a minute to see that it's the male head on the staff making that noise.

"The old man laughs! It means the tomb will open!" Jaken exclaims in joy. Inuyasha takes a step forward, bringing his left arm up in front of me and pushing me back. I glance up to him, but his eyes are trained on his half brother. A vortex appears beside them, like a black hole.

"I thought I'd seen everything." I mutter to myself, the hair on my arms standing on end. Sesshomaru and Jaken disappear into the void without a word more, and I look to Inuyasha as he stands just slightly in front of me. He wasn't moving.

" _Well?_ Are we going or not?" I ask, frowning.

" _We?_ " He repeats, surprise in his voice. I lift an eyebrow at him.

"You honestly don't think I'm letting you go in there _alone,_ do you?" I reply easily, before gently pushing his arm down from in front of me and stepping towards the void. I turn to him, our eyes locking as he stands there staring at me. "Inuyasha?" I ask, reaching my right hand out towards him then. This seems to snap him out of whatever daze he was in.

 _'Maybe he's nervous? This is his Father's tomb after all, and his brother is just a_ little _psychotic.'_ I think as he hesitantly reaches out, taking my own hand in his. I try to ignore the butterflies in my stomach that flutter as I feel the warmth of his hand, and the strength in it as it firmly closes in around mine.

"Let's go." He nods, guiding me on into the void.

I'm not prepared for what I see on the other side.

A sense of weightlessness takes over me as light spills through the opening on the other side of the portal. Inuyasha's hand gently tugs me into his side, letting me go long enough to instead wrap his arm around my waist.

"Hold on." Inuyasha cautions. I immediately reach over to grab onto the front of his kimono with my left hand, the one closest to his body going to his back and hanging on there. We fly through the portal, and I realize why I had felt so weightless.

We were literally falling form the sky!

"Is _that_ your Dad?" I ask in astonishment as I see the remains ahead of us. The remains of Inuyasha's Father were sitting down, almost seeming to relax against the rocky mountains behind him. He was wearing armor, his skull the only visible part of his actual body. The deceased dog demon looked monstrously large, even when sitting. _He had to be at least a hundred feet tall!_

"That's the old man." Inuyasha confirms easily, his arm tightening around my middle. "Brace yourself, it might be a rough landing." He warns then, and at that point I look down to the rocky landscape below. I grip onto the material of his top tightly as the ground continues to get closer, before suddenly we both hear a bird's call behind us. I don't even have time to turn to see what made the noise before it's under us and carrying us towards his Father's body. Inuyasha slides his arm from around me when he knows I'm steady.

"What is this thing?" I frown, looking down at the bones below me of this massive bird-like creature. When Inuyasha doesn't answer I look towards him. His eyes are focused ahead on his Father's remains, an unreadable expression on his face.

 ** _'This is the first time Inuyasha has ever seen his Father. At least, the first time he'd remember.'_** Mayumi explains then, my eyes widening in shock.

 _'What a way to meet him.'_ I think sadly, looking back to the dog demon's massive remains. _'Why is he so_ big? _'_ I can't help asking.

**_'His Father was known as Toga, Lord Of The Western Lands, and he was as large as his title would suggest. What you see right now is Lord Inu no Taisho's demon form. Full-blooded demons can sometimes change their physical appearance by will. Inuyasha's Father could morph into a large dog during battles, but was most often in his humanoid form. Sesshomaru would be the best example of what he must have looked like in that form.'_ **

I blink in surprise, before a worrying thought hits me.

Does Sesshomaru get that big when he's in _his_ dog demon form? If so, we were _definitely_ in some trouble.

We circle the remains, before flying down towards the mouth and entering it as if we were heading into a cave.

"His fangs are three times my size!" I can't help observing as we fly by them.

"He himself was of incomparable stature." Myoga speaks up from where he sits on Inuyasha's necklace. "Here he is in truest form, undisguised. The treasure sword embedded in his bones. That is what Lord Sesshomaru is after." Myoga explains as we fly down the throat.

 _'This is creepy.'_ I can't help thinking dryly as the darkness closes in. I don't want to say it out loud, this is his Father's body after all. However, that doesn't stop the chill that runs down my spine as we continue down his throat, my hair standing on end on my arms. _'I can't imagine what Inuyasha must be thinking as we fly through his Father's remains.'_ As we fly through the opening from his throat into his stomach the bird below us hovers, rather than moving in closer. Without a second thought Inuyasha grabs me around the middle once more, leaping off of the bird and onto one of his Father's many rib bones. Sesshomaru is easily visible as he stands at the bottom on the numerous remains that layered the base of Toga's midsection.

 _'Is_ that _the sword?'_ I think with a confused frown, seeing the rather beaten up looking weapon sticking out from some sort of block. Sesshomaru was just standing there, looking at his hand as we make it to just above him.

"Sesshomaru!" Inuyasha shouts angrily as he lets me go. "We're not finished yet!" He cries out, before leaping down and towards his half-brother. He swipes at him, but Sesshomaru moves faster. Instead Inuyasha lands hard among the bones, the sound of them shattering beneath him echoing in our surroundings. Hardly flinching the silver-haired half demon stands at the ready, Sesshomaru nowhere to be seen. "Where did he go?" Inuyasha growls impatiently, hands up and at the ready.

"Be more _respectful._ It's our Father's tomb." Sesshomaru's voice echoes, and my eyes snap to where he now stands above Inuyasha on one of the ribs.

 _'Holy crap he's_ fast! _'_ I think in amazement, before frowning as I look from Sesshomaru to the sword.

Why hadn't he picked it up yet?

"Look who's talking! _You're_ the one who's here robbing his grave! Why not respect him by leaving?!" Inuyasha retaliates.

"Lord Inuyasha, look back, look back!" Myoga calls to him as he lands on his shoulder.

"Look back where? How come?" He questions the flea, even as he turns back towards the sword.

"Don't you _see_ it? The blade from your Father's fang!" Myoga replies with excitement. "Tessaiga!"

 _'_ Tessaiga? _That's certainly an interesting name for a sword.'_ I muse, tilting my head in curiosity as Inuyasha approaches it.

"What, you mean this?" He asks doubtfully, obviously taken in that battered appearance. "What a piece of junk. Tessaiga- _what?_ It wouldn't even cut paper wet!" He criticizes.

Then why did Sesshomaru want it so badly?

"Lord Inuyasha, you must draw the sword. _Please!_ " Myoga pleads with him nonetheless. "And _you,_ Lord Sesshomaru," he turns his attention to the older demon who is watching on intently, "you couldn't pull it out, could you?" My eyes widen slightly in realization.

 _'_ That's _why he had been staring at his hand. It had looked a little burnt.'_ I think back on it now, realizing that smoke had been drifting up from the palm of his hand.

"Are you saying that _Inuyasha_ can?" Sesshomaru asks curiously.

"Of course. It was always intended that Lord Inuyasha should inherit it." Myoga states confidently, before suddenly the flea seems to get nervous under Sesshomaru's stare, slowly back around to hide behind Inuyasha's neck. "H-he was entrusted with the tomb, wasn't he? That should be proof enough if you ask me!" He weakly defends, before dodging completely out of view. "Now hurry, hurry! Claim what's yours!" He cries at Inuyasha from his hiding place.

Inuyasha looks down at the sword, his face still showing his surprise at being told that his Father had left it to him specifically. He looks away then, expression dropping into disbelief.

"What _entrustment?_ What _inheritance?_ For all I care he can keep the rusty piece of junk!" Inuyasha shouts out.

 _'He resents his Dad.'_ I realize then with shock. _'Before today I would have thought things the opposite; that he'd favor his Father over his Mother because his Father represents the strong side of him.'_ I frown.

 ** _'Inuyasha had always felt abandoned by his Father. His Mother was the one that cared for him alone until she died.'_** Mayumi replies softly, her voice showing how much her heart was aching for Inuyasha in that moment. ** _'He would hardly even talk about his Father to me.'_**

"What I _do_ mind, though, is all the _other_ stuff!" Inuyasha moves from the sword, pointing up at Sesshomaru now. "Good thing you are in a grave, because you're going to _die!_ " He proclaims angrily up to his half-brother. Sesshomaru hardly looks phased, even as Inuyasha jumps up to launch another attack.

 _'That was sloppy.'_ I think with a frown. _'He's letting his emotions get the best of him.'  
_

"Now, was that aimed at me?" Sesshomaru teases as he lands down below, turning to look back towards Inuyasha confidently. Inuyasha doesn't miss a beat, coming down after him and swiping at him. He makes attempt after attempt to hit Sesshomaru, but the older demon seems to dodge each attack with ease.

"He's _playing_ with him." I realize as Inuyasha misses him again, instead punching into one of his Father's ribs. He falls to the ground from the impact, leaping back up almost immediately.

"Damn." He growls, Sesshomaru landing directly behind him.

 ** _'Inuyasha needs to get over his pride and retrieve that sword! It might be his only chance against his brother.'_** Mayumi calls out urgently, and my mind spins trying to think of what I can do.

"You fight as though you are still a child." Sesshomaru criticizes as he gazes at Inuyasha calmly.

"You can't fight him unarmed! Get the sword! _The sword!_ " Myoga pleads with Inuyasha.

"You shut up!" He shouts at Myoga in return, and I groan in frustration.

"Don't be a little _brat!_ Get the sword!" I call out to him as I lean against a large vine that had grown down into the Lord Inu no Taisho's body. "Stop being so stubborn about it! What if you can pull it out and Sesshomaru can't?! Wouldn't you like to see the look on his face if that happens?" I appeal to Inuyasha's ego, hoping he'd take the bait. Judging by the smirk that slowly works its way onto his lips, I'd say it worked.

 ** _'Well played, Yua, well played.'_** Mayumi hums in pleasant surprise.

"I get it." Inuyasha chuckles, grinning then as he glances towards the sword before looking back towards his half-brother. "I'll do it." He walks over towards the battered sword then, Sesshomaru's gaze narrowing even as he doesn't respond. Inuyasha jumps up onto the block, taking the hilt of the sword in his hand. "This is going to be more fun than I thought." He comments egotistically, and I inwardly groan.

 _'Enough with the chit chat, time for some action.'_ I frown, watching intently now as he moves to pull the sword out.

" _N-n-n-no!_ Inuyasha is immune to the spell that thwarted Sesshomaru!" Jaken's voice suddenly echoes through the cavern as he emerges from under a pile of bones.

"I _knew_ it! Tessaiga is fated to become Lord Inuyasha's!" Myoga reappears in that moment as well, Inuyasha pulling up hard on the sword. I could see his arm shaking with the effort, but the sword wasn't budging yet.

"It must really be stuck in there." I mutter lowly.

As Inuyasha yells a light erupts from where the sword's tip was stuck in the block. He continues to grunt with effort for a few more minutes, before the light slowly fades.

And the sword remains firmly stuck in the block.

 _'Uh, Mayumi?'_ I reach out to my predecessor I confusion.

 ** _'Yeah…I got nothing.'_** She answers, equally as confused by what had just happened.

" _Huh?_ " Inuyasha frowns, smoke billowing out around him as he stares down at the sword dumbfounded. His expression quickly turns to one of annoyance. " _Yo._ " He calls to Myoga as the flea bounces on his shoulder.

"Yes?"

With lightening fast reflexes Inuyasha grabs the flea and brings him to face him, squeezing Myoga between his index finger and thumb. "I couldn't pull the sword out. _Could_ I?" He questions with barely concealed rage. His eyebrow even twitches.

"I don't know what happened." Myoga squeaks out, Inuyasha letting him go with an irritated scoff.

"Are you done?" Sesshomaru asks then coldly, clearly not impressed either. No doubt he had hoped to overpower Inuyasha when he released the sword so he could take it for himself. " _I_ am." He moves quickly across the cavern, a blurry streak of white, red, and yellow, swiping at Inuyasha. Inuyasha dodges, this time on the defensive.

 ** _'Yua, climb down there.'_** Mayumi speaks up, and my eyes widen slightly.

 _'What for?'_ I ask, even as I move to climb down to the next rib.

 ** _'I want to try something.'_ **Mayumi answers cryptically. I inwardly groan, starting to get rather annoyed with her nasty habit of not fully answering me. As Sesshomaru and Inuyasha continue their fight in the distance I finally make it to the bottom, doing my best to ignore that I'm currently stepping on dead bodies.

 _'This is the stuff nightmares are made of.'_ I can't help thinking as I look down in disgust at a skull that was looking straight back up at me.

 ** _'Head for the sword. We're going to try pulling it out.'_** I do pause at that.

 _'Say_ what _now?'_ I ask, eyes wide. I look over to Inuyasha, my heart leaping into my throat as I see him pinned to a rib.

"I don't think you've met my poison claws." Sesshomaru states coldly, before the hand he wasn't using to pin Inuyasha starts to glow a sick green color. Inuyasha just barely misses the attack, melted bone remaining where his head had just been.

 ** _'Yua! Get to the sword! This might be the only way to help!'_** Mayumi shouts then. **_'Our powers, even_ combined _, are no use here.'_** I frown, before rushing for the platform as Inuyasha takes hit after hit from Sesshomaru's whip. His fire rat robe was his only protection.

 ** _'It won't be if this works.'_** Mayumi urges on. I stand on the block, gripping onto the handle of the sword then.

"NO! Get away from that sword!" Jaken's voice suddenly calls out, and I turn just in time to see a ball of fire heading straight for me. I raise my hand up, calling on my energy to create a barrier in front of me. It works, just barely, as I can still feel the heat of the flames before they extinguish. With a blast of my energy I send the toad clear across to the opposite wall of ribs, effectively knocking him out.

 _'Fucking pest.'_ I frown, before suddenly I hear Inuyasha crying out in pain. My gaze snaps over to him, freezing as I see Sesshomaru has the claws of his left hand dug into his chest. He launches them into the air, his right hand glowing that same green color from before.

_His poison claws._

"Inuyasha!" I can't help crying out in fear for him, my instinct causing me to move to try and reach him in time.

Only I had forgotten to let go of the sword.

I gasp, stumbling slightly as I was momentarily stopped in my forward motion, the tension quickly letting go as the sword actually _pulled free_ from the block! I stumble, looking down in dumbfounded shock at the sword now in my hands, before looking towards the brothers in front of me.

Both were staring at me.

Inuyasha in surprised confusion.

Sesshomaru with deadly intent as he was frozen in place, clawed hand hovering just above Inuyasha.

 _'Oh, he's_ pissed. _'_ I think frantically to Mayumi, feeling unsure of what to do next. I pick up the sword in both hands, still surprisingly heavy for how fragile it looked. I gaze at it in wonder, reaching out for Mayumi once more.

 _'So…what's the next step to your plan?'_ I think nervously.

**_'Let me get back to you on that one.'_ **


	8. There and Back Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!
> 
> Thanks so much to: joyousmia, Brknfire, nmeijerink, Cleo_Martin_01, LorettaLee1880, CatNapTime, Wolvesnight, and LunaDeath1 as well as 2 guests who have left kudos! I really appreciate them and you guys!
> 
> Nodnos: I absolutely loved writing this chapter for it's humor! I've been enjoying adding in the twists that Yua's character brings to the scenes. Thank you so much for your kind words from the last chapter, and I hope to hear from you again in the future!
> 
> Onward!

"That's _impossible!_ " Jaken's nervous voice calls out, bringing my attention away from the battered sword in my hands. "If the two of _them_ couldn't do it, how could a mere _human_ hope to…?" Jaken trails off in question.

"Well I _did,_ so we're just going to have to work with it." I reply dryly to him, swallowing thickly.

 _'Mayumi, what have you gotten me into_ this _time?!'_ I think frantically. I feel a meek pulse of energy as a wordless response from her.

"Hey, don't look at _her!_ " Inuyasha shouts, and I look to see Sesshomaru still had his cold stare settled on me. "Look at _me!_ " He exclaims as he launches towards his half-brother, but Sesshomaru moves away in a flash.

And suddenly he's right in front of _me._

I'm immediately taken aback by the strength of his presence, his aura cold as it washes over me. Even if Inuyasha and he shared a Father, the way they felt down to their very signatures was completely different. With Inuyasha, even when he was being a dick, I had felt warmth and safety.

Sesshomaru makes me feel intimidated and on edge.

Slowly looking up to his amber eyes I take in his face in more detail. It's more angular than Inuyasha's, those purple markings on his cheek and the crescent mood on his forehead I had noticed before standing out even more starkly against his pale skin as he stood so close. His eyes widen momentarily as mine lock with his, but that cool expression of indifference doesn't break otherwise.

 _'He's_ tall. _'_ I think weakly, my head only reaching the middle of his chest.

"What _are_ you, and how did you draw the sword?" His gravelly voice asks smoothly, amber gaze looking from the sword and back to me.

"Sesshomaru! Leave her alone! She's not involved in this!" Inuyasha shouts from behind his brother, looking slightly panicked. I feel my worry spike even more, hearing the clear urgency in his voice.

He was afraid for me.

 _'_ Seriously, _Mayumi! What_ now?! _'_ I cry out to her inwardly, the tension almost unbearable as Sesshomaru continued to survey me. His eyes worked their way from my face and slowly down my form, like he was taking every detail into cold calculation.

**_'Concentrate your energy into the sword! Use it as your focus! It might be able to fend him off if he attacks.'_ **

_'_ If _he attacks?! Can you not see the expression on his face?! He's going to_ kill _me!'_ I gripe back, even as I do as she instructs. I already know her reasoning for honing my energy into the sword. Over our short amount of training I had found that it takes less power, and my energy will last longer, if I focus it into something physical rather than creating with it. As the sword starts to glow purple in my hands Sesshomaru's eyes widen once more, though this time a look of recognition is there.

"I have felt that power before, _decades_ ago." He murmurs lowly, his head slowly lowering closer to mine.

 _'You've met_ him _too?!'_ I cry out frantically to Mayumi. I know he had mentioned hearing of her before as Inuyasha's lover, but it never clicked that he might have actually _met_ her. _'Just how many demons do you know?!'_

 ** _'No comment. Besides, I don't remember ever meeting him.'_** Mayumi answered, her voice strained. Sesshomaru turns back towards Inuyasha.

"For some reason I was not able to draw Tessaiga. Fortunately you were unable to draw it as well." Sesshomaru turns back to me, determination now set on his face. "It's obvious that she must die." His sentencing causes a shiver to rush down my spine as I take a step back making sure Tessaiga, that was now glowing with my aura, remained between us.

 _'Be honest, how many hits could I take?'_ I ask nervously.

 ** _'One.'_** Mayumi answered with brutal honesty.

"Listen, I agree that it's weird that she could do it and we couldn't, but she's still just a _human girl!_ " Inuyasha tries to reason. He turns to me then, looking utterly serious. "Yua, give him the sword. We don't have a choice!"

"No way!" I frown deeply, shaking my head. "If he gets the sword he's going to kill us anyways!" I correctly point out, Sesshomaru giving a soft chuckle.

"She's right." He comments lightly. "Smart girl."

"You don't know what you're talking about! Shut up and butt out!" Inuyasha yells rudely at me, my mouth falling open in shock.

After everything I've done today for this asshole, he talks to me like _that?!_

"I know more than you think!" I cry at him, Mayumi immediately reacting.

 ** _'Yua! That's enough!'_** She commands in a tone I hadn't heard from her before. She's pissed. I blink in shock, before seeing the look of confusion on Inuyasha's face.

 _Oh, right._ He's not supposed to know about Mayumi.

"Inuyasha, your patience with this creature is astonishing to me." Sesshomaru speaks up then from in front of me, having moved only slightly to the side when Inuyasha and I had stated to yell at one and other.

_Patience?!_

"You protect her. Indulge her." Sesshomaru goes on, reaching back behind his ear and threading his finger into his long silver hair. "Even seem to _care_ for her." I nearly fall over in shock as Sesshomaru calmly combs his fingers through his hair. I'm equally as shocked by Inuyasha's reaction.

He doesn't _deny_ it. Not really at least.

Instead he stands there looking extremely awkward as he tries to stutter out some sort of protest. Sesshomaru, meanwhile, turns and walks a couple paces towards him. "Certainly these feelings of mercy of yours are not something I inherited from our great and terrible Father."

 _'Was Inuyasha's Father more like Sesshomaru?'_ I frown then, gripping more tightly onto the sword in my hands.

"It must have been that Mother of your's. That _human_ Mother," Sesshomaru goes on, his voice filled with disgust, "who caused our Father to come to his end in this ignoble place." His eyes sharpen. "Her blood affects you as well. Is it that which so endears you the them? When it comes to humans _I,_ of course, bear no such _weakness._ " That was all the warning I got before Sesshomaru turns sharply, raising his right hand up and allowing his poisoned energy to rush towards me.

 ** _'BRACE YOURSELF!'_ **Mayumi exclaims. I grit my teeth, concentrating as my energy creates a barrier for me using the sword. His attack streams to either side of me as I hold the sword up with my shaking arms.

 _'He's too powerful. I can't hold on much longer!'_ I gasp inwardly to Mayumi, the power of the attack pushing me back against a rib. I could feel my aura flickering, just barely holding on.

"YUA!" Inuyasha calling out my name in distress is the last thing I hear before he's drowned out as the bone of their Father's rib starts to liquefy and melt around me.

 ** _'You need to dig deep, Yua! Concentrate!'_** Mayumi pushes. I close my eyes, forcing more energy outwards to circle around me like a protective bubble as the melted bone solidifies on contact. _I was getting trapped in!_

The last of the melting bone adheres to my barrier before it flickers and fades away. I try to push up against the dome that had formed above me. _'I can't_ breathe! _'_ I panic when it doesn't budge. I search for my aura, but try as I might I couldn't find the strength to tap into any more of my energy.

Suddenly the sword glows yellow in my hands.

 _"Make sure my son, Inuyasha, takes the sword…"_ A deep male voice echoes from the battered metal, my eyes widening in shock.

_Inuyasha's Father?!_

The blinding light fills the dome I had created around myself, cracks appearing as it shoots outwards. A final burst of energy from the sword sends the pieces flying away, and I sit up slowly to look at the scene before me.

Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are staring at one and other, and surprisingly Sesshomaru looks like he has taken some damage. My eyes are instantly drawn to where that large metal trap had sat on his shoulder, now gone.

Had _Inuyasha_ done that?

"W-what?" Inuyasha stutters out, bringing my attention back to him. He looks utterly bewildered as he watches me.

"Did you actually think I was _dead?_ " I ask in surprise, slowly climbing out from the mess around me. A spike of irritation hits me when he dumbly nods his head. "You should know by now I can handle myself!" I frown, walking over to him on shaking legs with the sword, and I hand it to him. "You've underestimated this thing, _trust me._ " I mutter the last part dryly, figuring now wasn't the time to tell him I had heard his dead Dad's voice. He's still looking at me in disbelief even as he accepts the sword.

"Uh…how are you _alive?_ " He asks.

"The sword." Sesshomaru speaks up before I can answer. "The sword's spell _protected_ you." He sounds disgusted as he comes to this understanding.

"It's true!" Myoga jumps in victory on Inuyasha's shoulder. I frown, hearing bones clanking against one and other. Looking over towards the skulls under Sesshomaru's feet I can see them vibrating. "Those claws of his have a deadly poison. It had to have been the sword, or she really _would_ have died!" His eyes narrow in challenge. "Why not put it to the real test and try it on Sesshomaru."

"Uh, is anyone _else_ seeing this?" I speak up nervously, pointing towards Sesshomaru. Inuyasha frowns, grabbing onto my arm firmly and pulling me behind him. I don't protest this time, knowing I really am useless now.

"Big words for such a small vermin." Sesshomaru's voice echoes lowly around us as the clanging of skulls gets louder. He starts to glow with his aura, his eyes going wide and his pupils dilating. His energy picks up, and with it the air begins to whip around him. Skulls and bones alike float upwards and swirl around the dog demon, some clashing together and breaking on contact. His strength grows _exponentially._

"What's happening?" I ask with a frown as I watch from over Inuyasha's shoulder. Suddenly the skulls start to launch towards us, easily breaking apart on Inuyasha as they hit.

 _'He's hardly even_ flinching!' I think, Inuyasha's amber eyes narrowed as his gaze never leaves his half-brother. He has this look of determined resignation on his face, like he knew what was coming.

"Let's see if a half-breed can even weld the Tessaiga." Sesshomaru meets the challenge that Myoga had proposed before.

_This was all the flea's fault!_

"I myself shall be the witness!" Sesshomaru continues, his eyes going wider and turning a blood red in color. I swallow thickly, my stomach churning as a sense of foreboding hits me hard.

Then his face starts to morph.

With sickened amazement I can't look away as Sesshomaru begins to transform. His face, having resembled that of a human's, suddenly grows a long snout and a wide mouth of jagged teeth. White fur erupts over his skin, taking over the flesh from earlier. His aura envelops him completely, sending him flying into the air before crashing back into the ground.

What is soon revealed is _horrifying._

Sesshomaru stands above us, now to the likeness of a dog, but looking much fiercer. He stands at at least forty feet tall, white fur covering his powerful body. The very ground shakes as his large paws step down on it, blood red eyes looking down on us as he snaps his sharp teeth together in threat. The only thing that remotely resembled the demon from before were his marking, especially the crescent moon on his forehead.

"Now we know his real form." Inuyasha confirms, looking up towards the dog demon with determination. Inuyasha flashes the sword in front of him, Sesshomaru incited enough to bark at him in challenge. "Now that I'm using this I'll win for sure." He states cockily. I can't help inwardly groaning.

Haven't we learned at least _one_ thing today? _Being cocky doesn't work!_

I step back with Inuyasha as he pushes backwards, Sesshomaru baring down on us.

"Yep, I'd say this battle is just about finished before it even starts." Inuyasha goes on confidently. I frown, glancing between the sword to Inuyasha, and then to Sesshomaru. Somehow, even though I personally know the sword has some kick to it, I'm doubtful. Inuyasha may still win, but this battle was long from being over.

"You should go and hide until this is over." Inuyasha speaks over his shoulder at me, before launching himself towards the large dog demon.

 _'Just_ where _does he expect me to go?'_ I ask myself, looking around as I back up against the rib.

"Okay, let's see what you can do!" Inuyasha's voice calls out, speaking to the sword. He swings downwards, the blade hitting and grazing off of the top of Sesshomaru's head.

Leaving the dog demon to come sailing at me.

"Holy _SHIT!_ " I exclaim, dodging to the side just in time as his paw, bigger than my own body, lands directly where I had been standing seconds ago. I fall shakily to my knees, still weak from before. Sesshomaru hardly pays me any heed now, turning to pounce on Inuyasha instead. Inuyasha dodges once, twice, and on the third time just manages to scoot out of the way of Sesshomaru's fangs as he bites down on the floor of bones. I can smell the now familiar scent of his poison filtering into the air before I see the actual damage. I frown deeply, watching as Sesshomaru turns, his drool dripping down to the ground and hissing as it melts away the skulls underneath. _'His_ saliva _is poisonous now.'_

"Yo, Myoga, what's the deal? This sword can't even bruise let alone _cut!_ " Inuyasha questions the flea, annoyance clear in his voice.

"Well, uh Lord Inuyasha, I suppose that, um, it will make a lovely heirloom if nothing else." Myoga answers nervously. "Besides it's the thought that counts! Now if you'll excuse me." I blink in surprise as Myoga jumps down off of Inuyasha's shoulder, clearly running away.

"Hey, hey! _Woah!_ " Inuyasha cries out in protest, looking at the cowardly flea from over his shoulder as Myoga lands on the ground.

"And don't let Sesshomaru push you around, okay?!" Myoga laughs nervously, before skirting away as fast as he could.

_Seriously?_

I frown, looking towards Inuyasha then as I slowly stand up, leaning against the rib beside me for support.

"Uh oh." Inuyasha mutters soon after, before he turns towards me urgently. "Yua! Quick! Get off the ground!" Its then that I notice a green haze starting to build, the source coming from the melting skulls under Sesshomaru's mouth. My eyes widen in realization.

_Poison gas!_

"You need to climb up! Up! _Up!_ " Inuyasha shouts, Sesshomaru roaring in the background. I frown deeply, knowing he was right. I had to climb if I was going to live. Weakly I grab onto a crack in the rib above me, hoisting myself up with my shaking arms and legs. Settling on my hands and knees once I'm up, I breathe heavily.

 _'Fuck, if it took that much out of me to climb one rib right now, how the hell am I going to make it all the way up?'_ I think to myself tiredly, turning my head up to gaze at the top of the cavern. _'Then again, I don't have a choice.'_ I frown, looking around. My gaze settles on a thick vine a few feet away from me that crawls up along the spine. Shuffling along on my hands and knees I reach it as quickly as I can, using it now like a rope to climb up to the next. My chest was already feeling heavy, and my stomach nauseous from the poisonous gas as it continues to creep upwards faster than I can climb.

 _'This isn't good.'_ I groan, covering my mouth as I cough, lungs starting to burn. _'I'm not even in the thick of it.'_ I frown in worry, looking back towards the bottom of the pit, seeing Inuyasha still dodging his brother. _'How much longer can Inuyasha hold out?'_

"Yua, you must keep climbing!" Myoga's suddenly appears next to me on the vine, looking at me with worry. "You won't last in this gas. Even _demons_ aren't immune!"

"What about Inuyasha?!" I demand, looking back over my shoulder as I climb another couple feet higher.

 ** _'Don't worry about him. He can last a lot longer than you, especially since you're so drained. Keep climbing, Yua.'_** Mayumi urges weakly, obviously still drained from before as well. Myoga echoes her thoughts, before he continues to scramble upwards as well. I frown, turning back to look down once more, before continuing upwards as quickly as I could.

 _'My arms…my legs…this doesn't feel like exhaustion. It feels different.'_ A numbness has started to set in my limbs, and though I had some feeling still, I had this sensation of weighted nothingness starting to take over. I wasn't moving fast enough. I was just so _tired._

Inuyasha's pained screams suddenly echo from below.

I turn sharply, eyes wide as I see he had tried to escape the poisonous haze, nearly half way to where I was now. His escape had obviously been cut short by his brother, who now held him clamped in his jaws.

"INUYASHA!" I can't help screaming in fear for him, heart racing as I tried to think of something, anything I could do before Sesshomaru takes him back down into the haze. Suddenly Sesshomaru launches past me with Inuyasha still in his mouth, breaking apart an opening in the shoulder of Inu no Taisho's remains. I climb to that opening as quickly as I can, taking in huge gulps of the fresh air once I climbed out onto my hands and knees. Sesshomaru roared overhead, his head thrashing back and forth with his eyes closed shut. Inuyasha had managed to get out of his jaws during the whole thing, holding onto the hair under his chin as Sesshomaru whipped his head about. When he could Inuyasha let go, landing on what was left of the shoulder pad to his Father's armor.

 _'He's alright!'_ I inwardly gasp in relief, slowly getting onto my feet as the feeling of numbness slowly ebbs away in my legs and arms.

"Now do you see the power of Tessaiga? Oh yeah, you're giving Sesshomaru _'what for'_ I hope!" Myoga suddenly pops up in the bush in front of me. Inuyasha looks over his shoulder angrily towards us.

"Where have _you_ been?!" He demands furiously. "This thing is about as useful as a _walking stick!_ " He contradicts the flea.

"Oh," Myoga replies in susprise, "so maybe it isn't from your Father." Then he promptly disappears once more.

No surprise there.

"What am I going to do with this thing?" Inuyasha asks out loud, looking at the sword as Sesshomaru seemed to almost pace across the gap from him.

Then he strikes again.

Inuyasha barely misses being stomped on, jumping to the left of the large dog demon. I watch as he dodges again, before taking a stand and slashing at Sesshomaru's paws a couple times with the dull sword. No such luck.

 _'Maybe I had imagined that voice? But I had_ definitely _not imagined the power I had felt when the sword broke me free.'_ I think to myself as Inuyasha lands near me. I had believed in that voice the moment I had heard it.

Just like I believed in Inuyasha now.

"Keep trying, Inuyasha!" I call out to him in encouragement, and he turns to me as Sesshomaru licks at his paw.

"It won't matter how hard I try, this sword is _useless!_ " He spits out, glaring down at the battered metal in his hand. "Me, I'll be fine. _You, though, you don't stand a chance._ " He grumbles the last bit, but I know he knows I heard him.

" _Excuse_ me?!" I exclaim in disbelief, frowning. "What makes you think _that?!_ "

"Just shut-up, alright?!" He shouts back, his voice growing in volume…and worry. "You've exhausted yourself from fighting off Sesshomaru before! I can _feel_ it! So get back and let me do what I have to do to _protect_ you!" I blink in surprise, completely taken aback. Sure, Inuyasha had shown through previous actions he protected me out of a sense of duty, just simply because I'm useful to finding the shards.

The way he said it now though, it hit me far more profoundly.

 _'He_ wants _to protect me.'_ I think, feeling warmth surge through me like a tidal wave, my heart starting to race.

"Stay here and watch." Inuyasha commands then as he rests the sword on his shoulder, Sesshomaru approaching where we were standing. He moves to go and meet him.

 _"You protect her. Indulge her. Even seem to_ care _for_ _her."_ Sesshomaru's words from earlier ring clearly in my head, my gaze never leaving Inuyasha's back as he comes to stand in front of his brother.

_Does he?_

I shake my head violently, feeling a mixture of emotions rush through me at that unanswered question. Why was I even _thinking_ about that right now? Besides, I wasn't even sure what this warmth was that _I_ felt around him. I _did_ know that with everything we had been through so far, even after this short amount of time, I trusted him.

 _'And then there is Mayumi. He's still in love with_ her. _'_ I think, remembering the way he had reacted to even the mentioning of her name. It was clear as day. I feel a sadness dampening the warmth from earlier.

"Yeah, yeah. Roar, roar to you too, buddy." Inuyasha scoffs as he comes to stand confidently in front of Sesshomaru. "Let's get it over with!" He snaps, swinging the sword out in front of him.

The air around us suddenly pulses with energy.

 _'There is that energy from before!'_ I recognize, eyes snapping towards the sword as it appears to almost vibrate in Inuyasha's hand. _'It's like it's coming to life!'_ Inuyasha looks equally as surprised as he stares down at the sword in his hand wide eyed, Tetssaiga continuing to pulse rhythmically.

"Get him Lord Sesshomaru! Bite his little head off! That's right!" Jaken cheers, and I growl lowly as I step out from behind the bush. I take his staff, the toad caught so off guard that he allowed it to slip easily through his hand.

"Shut. Up." I frown, before wailing him hard over the head with his own staff. He cries out, before falling to the side unconscious.

"Well _that_ certain helped with some frustration." I admit to myself as I drop his staff next to him, smacking my hands together as if I was dusting them off. Sesshomaru lets out a loud growl, before pouncing once again. This time Inuyasha holds his ground, dragging the sword up along his brother's arm. My eyes widen as I see it actually cutting through the skin, the yellow aura of energy from before surrounding the sword as it dragged along. With one final cut he severs Sesshomaru's arm from his shoulder, the large dog falling to the ground in pain.

"He's done it." I gasp in excitement, Jaken coming to just in time to see it as well. I watch in amazement as he lands, lifting the sword into the air. It was larger, much larger than before, and it resembled a _fang._

 _'His Father's fang.'_ I think with a smile. Sesshomaru slowly stands on the three legs he has left, glaring at Inuyasha as he swings Tessaiga about.

"So here we are!" Inuyasha calls to Sesshomaru then. "Two brothers fighting over Father's sword, but compared to him you and me are _nothing._ " He states, paying tribute to his dead Father.

 _'The new sword must have helped his opinion of the guy.'_ I can't help thinking dryly.

"Don't you get it?" Inuyasha continues. "We're like a couple of fleas jumping around on his body. We'd be lucky if he didn't squash us flat." That was certainly a way to put things into perspective, and he was right. "So maybe I don't have too many memories of him, but it was me that Father chose to hide his tomb in after all. I'd rather give up an eye, than give up his sword. Maybe I'm not so _worthless_ then, _am_ I?!" He shouts the last bit to his brother, glaring at him. Sesshomaru obviously had enough, leaping to attack once more with a giant roar, but Inuyasha met him head on. He slices him across the chest, causing Sesshomaru to fall back, blood red eyes filled with shock. He falls backwards off of the shoulder pad, heading straight for the rocky ground below.

"No! Milord!" He calls to Sesshomaru in distress, raising up and racing towards the edge. I frown, watching as a blinding light suddenly overtakes the dog demon, and an orb takes his place. It hovers for only a moment, before disappearing up into the sky above. Jaken panics.

"Don't leave me!" He pleads, before turning himself into an orb as well and following Sesshomaru. Inuyasha's labored breathing takes over the silence that now looms over us. I rush up to him, kneeling down as he also knelt down after sticking the sword into the armored shoulder below.

"Hey, you alright?" I ask in concern, rest a hand on his heaving back. He's looking at the sword, clearly impressed.

"I take it back." He states with a chuckle. "So the sword _isn't_ a piece of junk."

"You see?" Myoga comes out of nowhere, hopping onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "I was right! Of course, if you had listened earlier you never would have-" Myoga doesn't get a chance to finish his lecture, Inuyasha moving to squish him with his finger. Myoga stops him just in time, bracing against the finger with his four arms. "Wait, over there, see?!" He states, using the arms that weren't holding Inuyasha's finger from squishing him to point to the skeleton bird perched on Inu no Taisho's shoulder. "I wasn't running away, I was getting us a ride home." He explains, and even _I_ can tell he is lying.

 _'Who am I to argue at this point, though? I'm ready to get out of here.'_ I think to myself, standing. Inuyasha stands as well, and I reluctantly allow my hand to slip from his strong back.

"You believe me…right?" Myota asks, now sounding unsure of himself. Inuyasha gives him a smile that even surprises me as he lifts his finger from the flea.

"Oh, so then you _didn't_ run away?" Inuyasha clarifies, grinning down charmingly at the bug. I blink in surprise. Was he actually buying what Myoga was saying? Even _I_ wasn't that gullible.

Myoga chokes under the pressure.

"Okay, _okay,_ I admit it! I ran away!" Myota cries out, kneeling on Inuyasha's shoulder. I hold back a laugh, looking up towards Inuyasha then as his amber eyes lock with mine in amusement. "If I had known you'd make a comeback I'd have never left you! I'm ashamed of myself, I ought to have more faith. Please, please forgive me!" Well this was starting to sound like overkill.

And then he continues.

"If only I could make it up to you!" Myoga explains, and I hold back a snort of laughter at that. Inuyasha smirks at me, before looking back down to Myoga just as he opens his eyes to look up at Inuyasha.

"Myoga…" Inuyasha begins in a gentle voice, before it quickly turns almost crazed looking as he snatches the flea up and pins him between his index finger and thumb.

 _'Wow, Inuyasha has a sadistic side.'_ I think with amusement as I watch him squish the flea, Myoga drifting slowly down to the ground.

"Such is a flea's life." Myoga groans out as he floats down. He recovers quickly enough, instead wisely choosing to sit on my shoulder as Inuyasha sheathes the Tetssaiga. I watch in awe as the large sword shrinks back down to it's original size, Inuyasha holding onto it tightly. We walk over together to the bird and he climbs on first before extending his hand out towards me. I look at it, slightly surprised before I look up into his eyes, seeing them watching me calmly. I take his hand, warmth coursing through me as butterflies attack my stomach once more at the contact. He pulls me up in one fluid movement, and I come to straddle the bird behind him.

"Hold on." He tells me, and I just barely manage to wrap my arms around his middle before the bird takes off. It makes a steep climb up to the portal, Inuyasha standing as he balances us both on the bird's back. "Here we go." He grunts, wrapping his arm firmly around my waist and jumping up to the mouth of the vortex. It does the rest of the work, sucking us back in and through to the other side. We land together, Inuyasha letting me go the minute our feet hit the ground.

 _'Why am I disappointed he let me go?'_ I frown as the warmth disappears with Inuyasha's touch. _'Better yet, why am I letting what Sesshomaru said earlier get to me?!'_

 _"Even seem to_ care _for_ _her."_

Inuyasha looks up, the black pearl reappearing now as the void shuts, drifting down to once again find its place in Inuyasha's eye.

"You doing okay?" I ask gently then as he rubs the heel of his hand against his eye.

"Actually, I feel _great._ " Inuyasha answered honestly. "Everything is back to normal, and at least now I know the old man can rest in peace." His tone is surprisingly optimistic for him. I nod in agreement, before looking in the direction of the village, having recognized the spot that the vortex had dropped us off at. We were close, thankfully. Myoga had disappeared silently once more, scampering off to who knows where.

"Well, we should get a move on." I murmur, starting in the right direction.

"Hey." Inuyasha spoke up softly then, his hand reaching out and grabbing my arm to stop me. I freeze, heart racing at the contact. Trying to keep my cool I turn to look at him, lifting an eyebrow in confusion. "Listen, back there…" He trailed off awkwardly, before the next thing he does sends a shock-wave through my entire body. He pulls me in without hesitation, his forehead leaning down to meet mine as he closes his eyes. I try not to breath too heavily, my heart racing as my hands settle on his chest. My eyes close as I feel the tip of his nose brushing against my own, sending a shiver of longing down my spine that manifested in a deep pull in my lower stomach.

_What was he doing?!_

"Thanks for having my back." He finally murmurs after what feels like a blissful eternity, his hands gently squeezing where he was gripping my upper arms. His warm breath washes over my face, his scent of pine and pure male musk overwhelming my senses.

" _Always._ " I reply, my voice shaky then as he leans back, staring down at me with unreadable amber eyes. A tense moment passes before he slowly lets his hands drop from my arms, and gently pulls away.

 _'He's not running away like last time.'_ I think in awe, half expecting him to go bounding off towards the village on his own now. Instead he offers a boyish smirk, before walking past me.

"Well what are you waiting for?! Let's go!" He calls over his shoulder, effectively snapping me into action. I turn, jogging slightly to catch up to him, before we fall into a comfortable silence for the remainder of the walk.

My heart is racing as I replay the feeling of his warm breath against my face, and his warm skin, over, and over, and over again.

* * *

Inuyasha had disappeared once he had walked me to Kaede's hut without a word, leaving me and the old woman to talk between ourselves.

"But how was it that _ye_ , child, were able to pull the Tessaiga free?" Kaede questions after I finish telling her everything that had happened. Except for that moment between Inuyasha and I when we returned. That felt private, like it should just be between the two of us.

 _'And Mayumi.'_ I think, the guilt washing over me anew. After he had left it had hit me. She had seen _everything,_ felt everything I had felt, and had been radio silent since. I'm not even sure if what I had felt earlier had been me, or her, but the guilt weighed in on me nonetheless.

"I must say that ye continue to surprise me." Kaede goes on, bringing me back to the present.

"My theory is because Yua is mortal she was able to draw the sword." Myoga speaks up from where he sits across from Kaede and I by the fire. "Don't forget, Tessaiga was forged by Lord Inuyasha's Father as a way to protect his mortal Mother. It was his feelings towards mortals that allowed Lord Inuyasha to weld it effectively."

_"You've exhausted yourself from fighting off Sesshomaru before! I can feel it! So get back and let me do what I have to, to protect you!"_

I feel warmth spread through me starting in my chest as my heart ached remembering the feelings his words had given me. I had felt safe, like I _mattered_ to him, and I hadn't felt any of those things for a long, long time.

"You're right. It was only after he said he wanted to protect me that the sword reacted." I murmur softly, staring unseeingly into the flames as I recalled every detail in my mind.

"For someone like Sesshomaru, who could only hate humans, welding Tessaiga was impossible." Myoga finishes, crossing his arms.

"Tis a strange story, aye." Kaede agrees. "To Inuyasha his half human heritage has been a curse. His feelings for his Mother have been tinged with shame. And yet, those same feelings are what make him different. That is why his Father chose him for his resting place. Perhaps the one that most resembles the Father is not Sesshomaru, but Inuyasha." I nod in agreement, before noticing the nearby water bowl was empty.

"I'll go and fill this for you." I volunteer, standing and grabbing the water bowl.

"Thank ye, child. I'll be starting supper shortly." Kaede smiles, my stomach growling loudly, as if on cue. It reminds me that we've been gone for two whole days, no food or sleep, and I can feel the weariness settling in. Rubbing my tummy I duck out the door and head for the outskirts of the village. Looking up into one of the trees I pause, seeing Inuyashsa sitting there and staring down at the sword in his hands.

He probably had so many things to think about after the last couple of days.

* * *

**Inuyasha's POV**

I frown as I look down at the sword in my hands, frustration building slowly. I hadn't been able to summon the sword like I had before when I had taken down Sesshomaru.

"What the hell is _wrong_ with it?" I ask myself, frowning. "It's back to being a piece of junk."

 _"You've underestimated this thing, trust me."_ Yua's voice rings through my head, and I'm brought back to the moment she had emerged from the melted pile of bones. Residual fear grips at my chest tightly.

I had honestly thought she had _died,_ and it had been my fault cause I couldn't protect her.

The rage I had felt right after, when I had attacked Sesshomaru, had been the strongest I had felt since…

Since Kikyo had killed Mayumi right in front of me.

Swallowing thickly I lean back against the tree, my mind drifting. Yua and Mayumi…once again I'm struck by their similarities, and their differences. Mayumi was calm, collected, and strong, whereas Yua was passionate, and hard-headed, but carried a strength about her that I hadn't expected. The more and more time I spent with her I even came to realize how different she even looked to Mayumi. Before I had thought them almost identical, except for her bright green eyes. Now they looked like night and day to me.

Yua's face was softer, more innocent from not having the same physically hard life that Mayumi had, had. She looked at the world around her with wonder and amazement, something that I had found a little addicting to observe. Her reactions were genuine, because she didn't hold back. Mayumi had always shown wisdom and restraint, only voicing her thoughts when she knew things needed to be said. I lean my head back against the tree, squinting slightly as the sunlight filters through the canopy above me. I felt different around Yua, yet there was this familiarity that was comforting all the same.

Closing my eyes my mind takes me back to the moment after we came back through the portal, when instinct had driven me to pull her close. I had needed to feel she was there, that she was safe. She had been hesitant at first when I had pulled her in, but had relaxed so quickly in my arms as her scent of cherry blossoms and honey calmed my nerves. This wasn't like me, not now at least. I wasn't touchy, and the fact I had nuzzled at her nose with my own had caught even _me_ off guard. The instinct was so basic, the feeling of _p_ _ack_ drawing me by the gut to her. I needed to _feel_ she was okay, not just see it.

What would Mayumi think of all this?

The guilt washes over me, my chest aching for a new reason. I had loved Mayumi, and she had loved me, all of me, and I'm here thinking of her reincarnation as _p_ _ack_? Sitting up, I frown. Maybe it wasn't what I was feeling for Yua? Maybe it was feelings I had towards Mayumi I hadn't resolved yet?

I couldn't even _name_ the feelings I have gotten around Yua, let alone try to _reason_ with them.

 _'Why is this so_ complicated! _'_ I shout to myself in irritation, swiping Tessaiga in front of me once more to no avail.

"Having some performance issues?" Yua's sly voice comes from below, and I blink in confusion.

_Say what now?_

"What the hell are you _talking_ about?" I frown, not able to stop the bite of irritation in my voice. Why wouldn't this stupid sword work?!

"Nothing, don't worry about it." She giggles, and suddenly I'm filled with that warmth again hearing it.

_Fuck._

"Listen, I might be able to tell you how to make it work!" She calls up from where she is standing, wooden water bowl braced against her hip. _Huh._

"Since when are you an expert?" I ask skeptically as I jump down from the tree, her pretty green eyes looking slightly mischievous.

"Well, for starters, you've gotta promise me that from here on out you'll use it to protect me." Yua grins, locking her arms behind her back. I raise an eyebrow.

 _'That doesn't sound like her. She_ hates _being taken care of.'_ I think, figuring she must be pulling my leg. Fine, I'll give it right back to her then.

"What in the world are you babbling about? Your brain is broken or something." I reply dryly, as I shift the sword to rest against my shoulder.

"Well _you're_ the one that said you wanted to protect me." Yua brings up, crossing her arms and looking at me unimpressed. I hesitate, not having thought she'd throw that back at me.

"I didn't mean it like _that!_ " I exclaim frantically, trying my best to beat down the feeling of manly pride and warmth when I think of her actually _allowing_ me to protect her. "If you'll shut up for a minute I'll tell you what a sword like this should _really_ be used for!" I go on, unable to stop myself. "Stuff like collecting jewel shards and making me more powerful!." I move away from her towards the bridge. "I sure ain't wasting it by protecting a helpless human like you!"

Fuck, even I knew that was too far. Yua was anything but helpless.

I see the look of hurt flash in her eyes, before anger quickly replaces it. She is silent as she moves around me with the water bowl towards the river, the only warning I get is a glance from her over her shoulder.

" **Down boy!** "

I grunt as I hit the ground hard, groaning as she continues on her way.

Okay…I may have deserved that one.


	9. Disgusting Tongues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!
> 
> A huge thank you to: joyousmia, Brknfire, nmeijerink, Cleo_Martin_01, LorettaLee1880, CatNapTime, Wolvesnight, and LunaDeath1 as well as 3 guests who have left kudos on this story! 
> 
> Nodnos: This will definitely be a InuyashaOC centric story, but I have ideas in which there is also a little hit of SesshomaruOC, but not with Yua, with another character. This plot idea is still in the works for much later chapters :). Thank you so much for your question, and your comments thus far on this story. I hope you continue to enjoy it!

It had been three days since both Kaede and I had convinced Inuyasha that if we left the village we may have more luck finding the lost jewel shards. Inuyasha had taken to the idea quickly, eager to get on with it.

That, however, was three days ago.

We had stopped in the late afternoon by a lake, the water looking too fresh and inviting to resist. I desperately needed a bath after three days of walking on the dusty road. The smell that was wafting off of areas of my body was starting to affect _me_ , so I doubted Inuyasha wanted to be around it any longer either. He had agreed with minimal persuasion needed on my part, and after going over some important ground rules, I found myself lazily floating in the refreshing water.

"We've been away from the village for _three days_ now." Inuyasha whines from the tree he's relaxing in nearby, his back towards me as I wash. "You said if we left the village we'd find more jewels shards out here in Musashi." He complains, and I can't help the slight nab of annoyance that hits me.

"Quit being such a _baby,_ Inuyasha! I'm sure we'll run into them, we've just got to keep looking." I insist with a frown. He makes an annoyed sound, but that's the last I hear from him as I right myself to stand in the lake rather than float, and continue to wash. Deciding I had chanced fate long enough with not being happened upon, I wade out from the lake, grabbing a piece of cloth that resembled a towel Kaede had also been kind enough to lend me. I wrap it around my body, surprised when it actually covers me.

 _'They actually make towels big enough in this era!'_ I think with a dry grin. _'That or maybe I'm losing weight?'_

That probably wasn't the case.

I sigh, ruffling my wet hair with my fingers to try to help air it out, before jumping as Inuyasha suddenly comes soaring into the clearing.

"HEY!" I exclaim, a blush warming my cheeks as Inuyasha stops short, almost losing his balance on the rock he was currently standing on in the lake.

" _What?!_ I'm not _peeking_ , okay?!" He snaps irritably. "There was something that came flying down from where I was resting." Inuyasha frowns, his eyes alert as he stares around the lake.

 _'Well I guess he might not be lying. After all I'm covered by a towel, so there wouldn't be much point in him trying to look at something_ now. _'_ I think reasonably, before turning to head towards my clothes.

Only they weren't there.

My mouth falls open in shock as I see my clothes darting off over the bank, some sort of white monkey looking thing carrying them.

"My clothes!" I exclaim, struck. What on earth was I going to do _now?_

"I hear a whistle." Inuyasha frowns as he jumps from the rock and over to me on the shore. Seemingly without a second thought he takes off the top of his kimono, laying it across my shoulders. "Let's go and check it out." Meanwhile, I'm caught up looking from him to his kimono in shock.

"Hurry up and cover up! We ain't got all day!" He snaps then, causing me to jump into action. I thread my arms through the sleeves, closing the top with with my own hand before he kneels in front of me.

 _'I hope this towel doesn't ride up too much.'_ I think meekly, before climbing onto his back. My one hand keeps a tight hold on the kimono around me, the other grabbing onto Inuyasha's white top for balance. Thankfully the towel curves under my lower half to cover _those_ parts from touching him. _'How embarrassing would that have been?'_ I can't help but think, even as his hands come around to hook my legs in place. The kimono covers the skin of my one thigh, but as his right hand goes to wrap around the other I feel his skin against my own.

"Uh-" Inuyasha takes pause, stiffening up as I quickly scramble to pull his kimono down further on my right thigh. Once I did he more hesitantly brings his hand around again, this time grabbing a firm hold when he didn't feel my skin. Slight disappointment courses through me, having enjoyed the warm shock that had come from his hand brushing against my bare thigh.

 _'Fuck, how much more embarrassing could this get?!'_ I groan to myself as he starts to leap after the whistle he could apparently hear, yelling at Myoga to stay with our stuff. _'I'm not a horny little girl. I'm nearly a fully grown woman. I need to get a hold of myself!'_ I berate inwardly, Mayumi's laughter echoing through our connection. _'Stop!'_ I whine to her, knowing she thought this whole situation funny. It was like I was going through puberty again with all those damn hormones. We come over the crest of a hill, a boy's voice clearly heard.

"This isn't something to _eat!_ " He exclaims, before Inuyasha jumps over the bush in front of him.

"Hey!" Inuyasha growls lowly.

"Give me back my clothes!" I exclaim, watching as he held my kimono top up as if he had been inspecting it. I slide carefully from Inuyash's back, holding his kimono tightly closed as I do. The boy scrambles backwards and draws his sword.

"Who are you?! You look _suspicious._ " Even as he says this his eyes trail over me, clearly thinking that I was all but naked underneath Inuyasha's kimono. I blush, quickly double checking to make sure I wasn't accidentally flashing anything, before I hear a low growl vibrate from beside me. Blinking in surprise I watch as Inuyasha quickly steps forward and promptly pushing his foot into the boy's face.

" _Eyes off her._ " Inuyasha growls out, and I'm slightly taken aback by the possessive fury in his voice.

Why was that causing me to tingle?

 ** _'_ Tingle, _hm?'_** Mayumi's voice giggles in the background, and I know for sure I'm blushing a million shades of red right now.

 _'Shut up, shut up,_ shut up! _'_ I squeal in horror, wishing there was a way I could hide from her.

"Besides, we could say the same thing about _you!_ " Inuyasha goes on, the boy's little white monkey going crazy at Inuyasha's feet. It was running circles, arms in the air and clearly at a loss of what to do for it's owner.

"Can I have my clothes now?" I ask with a sigh, the boy nodding from under Inuyasha's foot. I frown, going over and gathering them up, before stepping behind a bush that I was confident would cover me. _'The poor kid is hungry. We should share some food with him.'_ I frown as I think of his earlier comment about eating. Once fully dressed and secure I step out from behind the bush.

"Why don't you come with us back to our camp? We've got plenty of food." I offer, Inuyasha looking at me shocked.

"Say _what?!_ " He snaps, a frown in place. "This _pervert_ took your clothes!"

" _Actually,_ his little monkey friend took them." I point out, placing my hands on my hips. "Besides, he gave them back with no fuss. The least we can do is give him and his buddy some food to eat." I sigh, nodding for the kid to follow us. "Come on." I turn, making my way back down the short distance over the ridge and to the lake. The boy cautiously follows me, Inuyasha trailing suspiciously behind. Once I give him and his pet monkey a few pears, they sit back, scarfing it down.

"Wow…you both really _were_ hungry." I comment lightly, the duo barely taking time to breathe. Inuyasha had taken to laying up in a bend in the trunk of the tree above us, clearly still a little put off by the strangers. I dig into my bag, grabbing a peach then and tossing it up to him. He catches it without a word, biting into it.

"I give you thanks, woman." The boy claps his hands together in a show of respect, his monkey doing the same. _Oh right,_ during all this we hadn't even had a chance to introduce ourselves. I stand along with the boy as he observes me closely, Inuyasha leaping down from the tree as he finished his own food to stand behind me.

"I'm Yua." I introduce, before pointing my thumb behind me over my shoulder. "And this is Inuyasha."

The boy suddenly slaps at his cheek.

" _Really_ , Myoga? We don't even know his _name_ yet!" I frown as the flea drifts by, before recovering and landing on my shoulder.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. I was hungry too." Myoga replies bashfully, looking towards the young man. "My apologies, young sir. I am Myoga the Flea." He bows respectfully.

The boy still doesn't look impressed. In fact, he looks even more suspicious.

"Soooo…" I tilt my head then, frowning when he didn't introduce himself. "Who are _you?_ " I finally ask, figuring that beating around the bush wouldn't work for this guy.

"I'm not at liberty to reveal my family." He replies, turning away haughtily and crossing his arms. I lift an eyebrow in slightly surprise, looking over my shoulder towards Inuyasha. He looks less than impressed himself, but clearly not as invested as I was to find out this guy's situation.

What? It's been a _boring_ three days. This was the first action we had really seen since Sesshomaru.

The boy suddenly turns, smiling kindly at us. "But my name is Nobunaga."

 _'Huh…I've heard that name before. I_ swear _I have.'_ I frown in thought, trying to think of where I had heard it before. My eyes widen as it clicks.

 _This_ was the guy that would come to unify Japan!

"Are you _Oda_ Nobunaga?" I ask, feeling like I was having a head rush. This was the first time I had actually run into someone significant from the country's past. It was so strange! I was staring at the person who would make Japan…well, _Japan!_

Although he looked rather insulted at the moment.

" _No,_ my name is Amari Nobunaga." He replies, nose turned up slightly as he frowns and crosses his arms. "I belong to the Takeda Clan in the land of Kai. Please do not confuse me with _him._ " My shoulders slump, feeling deflated.

That would be my luck.

"Sorry. It's just that where I am from he's kinda famous." I reply, but this only seems to insult Amari Nobunaga further.

"He's a big _idiot!_ " Nobunaga argues, frowning at me.

 _'Yeah, the big idiot that unites all of Japan.'_ I think to myself dryly. I watch as Nobunaga seems to gather himself, clearing his throat then as he turns away.

"You will have to excuse me. An important mission requires my immediate attention." Nobunaga goes on, his voice taking on a tone of superiority. "Farewell." He dismisses us politely, before walking forward. It was clear he wasn't looking where he was going, as the land dropped off right in front of him. I turn to Inuyasha then with a frown.

"Should I or you?" I ask in reference to warning the kid. Inuyasha folds his arms across his chest, smirking.

"Let's watch and see what happens." He replies easily. I roll my eyes, but turn back to watch the boy silently.

I mean, it wasn't _that_ big of a drop anyways.

We both watch in amusement as the boy falls gracelessly over the ridge's edge, sliding down the ten foot slope. Walking to the edge I lean over, the boy having landed feet up. Inuyasha scoffs, before wrapping his arm around my middle and leaping down to the boy. As Nobunaga rearranges himself and stands, clearly not too badly injured, I decide now is as good a time as any.

"Listen, can we help you?" I ask, ignoring Inuyasha's whine from behind me about needing to find the jewel shards. "Don't be offended, but you look like you could use it." I frown. Nobunaga dusts his pants off, sending me a narrowed eyed look.

"Thank you, but no thank you. This is a mission I must complete on my own!" He exclaims righteously, before turning and heading deeper into the forest. I look to Inuyasha.

"Seriously though, can we _at least_ make sure he doesn't get himself killed?" I ask him, and Inuyasha sighs heavily.

"But the jewel shards…"

"Clearly we aren't near any right now. What could this really hurt?" I ask, before deciding to appeal to Inuyasha's slightly sadistic side. "Besides, don't you want to see how badly this kid screws whatever he's doing up?"

Inuyasha's eyes light up at that.

"I suppose it _has_ been boring the past couple of days…" Inuyasha replies.

* * *

After picking up our supplies, including my bow and newly made arrows, Inuyasha quickly finds Nobunaga's trail. We follow it to the outskirts of a village, Nobunaga hiding in the bushes. Inuyasha and I quietly crawl up to where he is, my eyes widening in surprise as I see a half a dozen young women with their hands tied, all being led away from the village by a rope.

 _'Why only the woman?'_ I frown deeply. Nobunaga looks over his shoulder at us, placing his finger to his lips to signal for us to be quiet as all three of us rise above the bushes.

"So the rumors _are_ true!" He says in a soft voice.

"What rumors?" I ask with a frown, watching the scene unfold. The woman were all looking down, shoulders slumped. If the rope tied around their hands wasn't enough to see this wasn't voluntary, their body language was.

"I wouldn't want it repeated, but they say the Lord has been possessed by some kind of demon." A man nearby talks just loud enough for us to hear. This instantly perks Inuyasha up, his sullen mood changing drastically.

" _Demon?_ " He questions, leaning more forward to try and hear.

Unfortunately for Nobunaga this also meant that Inuyasha's foot was on his head again.

"Inuyasha!" I hiss out, frowning at him. Inuyasha looks to me, blinking innocently.

"What?" He questions, but I can tell he knows exactly what I'm talking about. I frown, summoning a small amount of my energy to push his foot off of the poor kid's head. I kneel down then as Nobunaga sits back up, looking him in the eyes.

"What is going on here?" I demand, frowning. "And don't give me that crap about it being _your_ mission. Their lives are obviously on the line." Nobunaga clearly hesitates, before slumping and giving in.

"It's been rumored that the Prince has been taken over by a demon." Nobunaga begins, and I nod.

"Yeah, we just heard that. What else? What does he do with those girls?" I press, and Nobunaga shakes his head helplessly.

"No one really knows. All that is said is that he takes them from the villages, and they never return." He frowns. I lean back, frowning as well as I look up to Inuyasha. I can already tell he is in, even if just to have a go at this demon.

"How far away is his castle?" I ask as I turn back to Nobunaga.

"A few hours to the North. If we leave now we can make it by nightfall." Nobunaga answers, and I nod, thankful he was now being more straightforward.

"Alright, we best get a move on then." I stand, making sure my bow was secured on my shoulder. I look back out towards the village, the imprisoned girls slowly disappearing from sight.

I just hoped we could make it there in time to help them.

* * *

We come to to a cliff side, the night so dark that it's hard to see the castle that hovered above on the ridge. Wolves howled in the distance, giving a chilling feel about this whole situation.

"That's the place." Nobunaga hisses out as we stare up at the foreboding structure.

"I smell the demon stink from here." Inuyasha replies with a scoff. "There is a piece of the Sacred Jewel there for sure." He states confidently, before kneeling down with his back to me. "Hop on, Yua, we better go and have a closer look." I nod, grabbing onto his shoulder as I lean into his back.

Before someone shoves me over slightly.

I frown, looking to Nobunaga as he slides in next to me, gripping onto Inuyasha's other shoulder.

"Hey! What's the big idea?!" Inuyasha gripes then, glaring at Nobunaga..

"I've got business up there!" Nobunaga proclaims, his eyes trained on the buildings above. I blink, frowning.

"So what? I'm not a free ride in! Get off!" Inuyasha carries on, but Nobunaga hardly looks like he's about to move.

What was so important up there that he was ready to face a _demon?_

"Come on, Inuyasha, we're just wasting time." I pat his shoulder. Begrudgingly Inuyasha agrees, muttering something about being too nice, before leaping up with the both of us and landing on the other side of the fence. When we land we see a small fire lit, with a man snoring beside it against a tree.

 _'One of the guards?'_ I think, nose wrinkling. _'Some security service.'_

Okay, so there were _two_ sleeping guards. We found the second one snoring away right on the steps heading up into one of the outbuildings.

"Why are they all asleep?" I frown as I look back to Inuyasha, seeing if he had some idea. His face is solemn, his eyes carrying the same concern I felt.

"Don't be fooled, Lord Inuyasha." Myoga speaks up as he hops onto Inuyasha's shoulder. "Their sleep is hypnotic, not natural. Possibly it may even be castle-wide." I look towards the largest building, no doubt where the noble family lived.

"Lets get a move on." Inuyasha states, coming over towards me and pressing his hand to my lower back gently to urge me forward. As soon as I move his hand drops away, the warmth the touch had caused quickly receding back to the damp cold surrounding us.

"Princess! Princess Tsuyu!" Nobunaga marches ahead of us, calling out for the Princess loudly. Clearly he was panicking after seeing the sleeping guards.

 _'Princess? Is_ that _why he is here?'_ I think bewildered. Regardless it probably wasn't the best idea for him to go on shouting and giving away our position. He quiets as we enter into the main building, starting to slide open any doorway he could find in the expansive hallway.

"Princess Tsuyu?" He calls into one room, before quickly finding no Princess there and moving to the next. "Princess Tsuyu, where are you?!" Concern for the Princess was clear in his voice, all but solidifying my thoughts from earlier.

He was here to save the Princess.

 _'Did I just wander into a fairy tale?'_ I ask dryly to Mayumi.

 ** _'More like a nightmare, if you ask me.'_ **She responds, having obviously seen everything through me so far. **_'Something isn't right here. These people have all been put to sleep by some spell.'_**

 _'Do you have any idea of who could do this?'_ I ask then, waiting intently for her answer.

 ** _'There are too many demons who are capable of this sort of thing. It will be hard to narrow down without more clues.'_ **Mayumi replies, obviously frustrated. **_'Be on your guard, Yua.'_**

 _'Right.'_ I mentally nod, taking my bow from my shoulder into my hand at the ready.

"It is _I,_ Nobunaga, come to save you!" Nobunaga proclaims after checking yet another room, and I feel a little uncomfortable as I watch him go on dramatically. "Princess Tsuyu!"

"Hey, kid?" I speak up, walking over to him and placing my hand on his shoulder. "It's probably not the best idea to go screaming for this Princess. It could bring some unwanted attention our way." I advise.

"Let him keep carrying on." Inuyasha contradicts, amusement clear in his voice. "We can use him as bait to find the demon."

Nobunaga looks at Inuyasha horrified, clearly not a fan of the idea.

Instead he opens the final door quietly, the light from the torches in the hallway shinning into the big room beyond it. I step into the doorway, my heart stopping as I see a woman in a red kimono laying on the ground, absolutely still.

"Princess Tsuyu!" Nobunaga calls out in distress, rushing towards the woman on the floor. "Princess, be brave!" He exclaims.

 _'So_ dramatic. _'_ I inwardly groan, almost embarrassed to watch as he turns the sleeping Princess over onto her back gently.

Only to promptly drop her when he's instead staring down at the face of an old woman.

"Hey!" I frown deeply, thinking of that poor woman's head hitting the floor.

"What has _happened?!_ " He cries out, tears streaming down his face as he tilts his head back.

"Yo." Inuyasha cuts in, and I look over to where he is now standing over a younger looking girl with jet black hair. "Is _this_ your stupid Princess?" Inuyasha asks, clearing sounding unimpressed as I was with Nobunaga's over dramatic behavior. Nobunaga looks over, before gasping and crawling away from the poor old woman towards the pretty girl. I look to the older woman on the floor with sympathy.

 _'I know exactly how you feel.'_ I think dryly to her, before turning to watch as Myoga jumps down on the Princess's cheek.

"Been so long since I've had royal blood!" He exclaims greedily. "Let me wake her." He adds, before digging in. No sooner had he bit the girl and started to suck away at her blood, then the Princess's hand comes up to splat him against her cheek.

"Serves you right you little vampire." I frown at the flea as he recovers once more, jumping up onto my shoulder. He laughs sheepishly, giving an innocent shrug. I look to Inuyasha, frowning.

"How is she awake, and no one else is?" I ask him quietly as Nobunaga fawns over the poor girl while she tries to fully wake.

"I don't know." Inuyasha answers honestly, eyes trained on the two young adults. "I'm sure we'll find out soon enough what's going on here, though."

"Nobunaga? Why are you here?" The Princess asks in astonished confusion, Nobunaga kneeling before her as she sat on her futon.

"Princess Tsuyu, you recognize me?" Nobunaga asks in awe, his eyes trained solely on the Princess.

 _'He's in_ love _with her!'_ I realize with wide eyes. I should have seen that sooner. Who would risk their life for something they didn't love?

"Of course I do, I'll never forget." Princess Tsuyu replies kindly, a soft look on her face. "You and I were friends as children, and you were always so very kind." Nobunaga looks taken aback, blushing as he shyly looks down at his hands.

 _'Okay, that_ is _kinda cute.'_ I have to reluctantly admit. The scoff of disgust I hear Inuyasha give quietly behind me tells me he's not as enthralled.

"Oh, I-I don't know what to say. I just thought you wouldn't remember a lowly vassal like me." He replies bashfully, and even his monkey friend scratching at the fur on his head shyly as well.

The Princess smiles softly at him. "I remember everything! How you would slip and fall in the pond…" I blink. Okay, that's not too bad, it's actually almost endearing. He can recover from this.

"…and how we'd laugh and laugh when you fell in horse dung." I wince as she finishes; _well shit._

Literally.

 _'There is_ no _recovering from that.'_ I think regrettably, and even Nobunaga seems to know this as he looks absolutely horrified.

"He's _definitely_ in love with her." I murmur quietly to Inuyasha, and he makes another noise of disgust.

" _Pathetic._ " He replies shortly with conviction, and I can't help a flash of hurt at how dismissive he was on the subject. Then again, he had been hurt more than anyone I could think of by love before. After all, the woman that he had used to love before Mayumi hadn't really loved him in return, and then she had killed the woman that _had_ loved.

 _'Yeah…if I was Inuyasha I would be skeptical of love too.'_ I reason, my hands tightening on the material of my pants as we wait by the wall patiently.

"How I wish I could go home." Princess Tsuyu cries softly, tears starting to stream down her face from her pretty brown eyes. I actually felt my heart ache a little hearing her, for the first time in over a week thinking of my own home.

Grandpa, Aunt Miyu, Kagome, Sota…

"It was shortly after I came here as his bride that my Lord husband began to act strangely." The Princess went on, bringing a welcome distraction from my thoughts about my family. "He had fallen into the garden pond, and ran a terrible fever. It was as though he had become a different person." The Princess explains, and I frown as I look to Inuyasha.

"Does that sound like a possession to you too?" I ask softly, knowing of the myths from my own time of demons that could possess people's bodies. Before this I never had put much stock into the thought, but now it didn't seem like it was out of the question.

"It sounds like it." Inuyasha agrees grimly, nodding as he crosses his arms in front of his chest. "The sooner we get to him, the better."

"Do you mean we'll have to kill him?" I ask wide eyed. Wasn't there some sort of exorcism or something we could perform? Like in the movies?

"Nobunaga, what am I going to do?" The Princess's voice sounds desperate.

"There seems to be no choice. You must return to Kai!" Nobunaga replies, his voice assured. "Even your Father, so far from here, has heard of the Lord's derangement. Indeed, it is his wish that I come so that you might be returned to him."

Woah, wasn't breaking a marriage in ancient Japan a _huge_ sign of disrespect?

"You came on my Father's orders?" Princess Tsuyu asks, looking unsure. Clearly she hadn't expected Nobunaga of all men to come.

"Even if he hadn't of ordered it, I would still have come!" Nobunaga declares passionately as he leans in. His pet monkey, obviously wanting to see what was going on, jumps on his head and bounces with excitement.

" _Nobunaga…_ " The Princess trails off softly.

"Yes, Princess?" Nobunaga asks eagerly, leaning in. A little presumptuous of him in my opinion.

"Nobunaga…there is a monkey on your head." She points out then in wonder, gesturing towards the little fur ball currently creating a side-act on his head.

Where the hell had he gotten the _chopstick and bowl?!_

" _Yes, Princess._ " He turns away, his voice sounding so dejected that I almost felt sorry for him.

"Hm." Inuyasha hums, before moving to stand. I look over to him curiously, before I can feel it. The aura of the demon washes over me, feeling slimy and sickly as it does. It wasn't strong, not like Sesshomaru's had been, but I could still feel it nonetheless. "Sounds like he's finally here." Inuyasha states as I stand as well, grabbing an arrow and notching it against the string of my bow. Without needing to ask me I follow him from the room, the pull of my energy is fluid as it rises and falls like waves at the ready. When Inuyasha wasn't continuing to train me in hand to hand combat, I had been practicing with Mayumi every day without his knowledge. I would make it seem like I was working on my powers on my own, along with my skills with my bow. Even I could tell my aura was much stronger than it had been when I had first arrived, and I had a lot more control over it. Drawing from it didn't require as much concentration as before.

As we step out of the room we see him in the dim light. He's dressed in a dark colored kimono that looked richly made, his face bandaged with white stripes of fabric. Even through the concealment I could see his head was really oddly shaped.

"I thought I heard something!" The Lord's voice sounded odd as he spoke. I step up beside Inuyasha, drawing my bow back at the ready.

"Yeah, and it took you long enough." Inuyasha replies sarcastically, cracking the knuckles of his right hand as he flashes his claws. "Let's go!" He exclaims, dashing towards the possessed Lord.

Only to have to dodge his _twenty foot tongue!_

 _'What is it with demons having long-ass,_ disgusting _tongues?!'_ I cringe, my arrow beginning to glow the faint purple haze of my aura as I let my energy flow into it.

"Let's see your real face!" Inuyasha shouts, bringing his claws down onto the onto the Lord's bandaged head. They fly away like rice paper, and the Lord lands back on his butt on the floor with a cry.

 _'If Jaken looks like a toad, this thing looks like a damn_ bull frog! _'_ I gape at the creature, his protruding eyes watching us with disdain. It had green skin that shined with a slimy film, with white skin just under where it's nose would be and over it's mouth, disappearing beneath his kimono at his chest. The next think I notice are the Lord's hands, webbed just like a frogs. The Princess lets out an exclamation of fright right behind us, promptly fainting into Nobunaga's arms.

The frog, toad, _thing,_ let's out the creepiest chuckle I have heard to date as he sits there.

Turning my attention back to the frog I feel for the energy of the Shikon Jewel, a glow coming from his right shoulder quickly appearing.

"There! In his right shoulder!" I inform Inuyasha, never taking my eyes off of it as I continue to aim my arrow at him. I didn't want to shoot, not knowing if the Lord was still technically in there somewhere.

"A fat lot of good it's done him." He smirks, cracking his knuckles once more as he readies for another attack.

"Not so fast." Myoga suddenly appears on my shoulder, and I look to him in confusion. "He's the ninety-ninth toad of the ninety-ninth generation. He's stronger than he looks." The flea warns us, but honestly I couldn't get over how ridiculous this all sounded.

I used to run over toads by accident with the _lawn mower_ for crying out loud!

"Then one good punch ought to make it a hundred!" Inuyasha proclaims, before rushing in once more. The toad takes a deep breath in, it's cheeks ballooning out, before letting loose a poisonous gas. It takes Inuyasha to the ground almost instantly, grabbing at his throat. I feel the same burning sensation.

"Toxic fumes, very dangerous!" Myoga exclaims, and I hold back a smart-ass retort.

I mean… _no duh._

I relax my bow, quickly shoving the arrow back into the quiver and my bow over my shoulder. I bring my hands together in front of me, allowing some of my energy to build between my palms. I had gotten better at conserving my energy, and understanding how much I needed to do whatever task was necessary. A small orb begins to glow between my hands, before I throw my arms outward, like I was pressing against a wall to either side of me. The force of my energy clears the air around us, forcing the noxious gas through any nook, cranny, or window it could find.

 ** _'Well done, Yua!'_** Mayumi praises me, and I feel a sense of pride at my ingenuity. Taking a deep breath of clean air, I suddenly feel it.

That slimy, cold signature right behind me.

"No fair!" The toad seems to pout at me, before taking his arm and swiping me to the side. I hit the wall hard, knocking the breath out of me before I slide to the ground. The toad stomps past me and straight for Nobunaga as he holds the unconscious Princess protectively to his chest.

"Give me back my Princess!" The toad croaks out, reaching forward for her.

"Stay back monster!" He draws his sword in threat. I get up, wincing at the soreness.

"Very funny! As if you could stop me human scum!" The toad replies, leaning it's head back. My stomach drops, knowing instantly what he was going to do. Running forward I reach out with reflexes I didn't even know I had, grabbing the toad's tongue in my hand before it could connect with Nobunaga.

"Uh…whaaaa?" The toad looks to me, his bulbous eyes wide with surprise. If I hadn't been so disgusted that my hand was wrapped around his slimy tongue I might have actually found this whole situation a little funny.

Also, I was still pissed at being thrown against a wall.

I focus my energy into my hand, and in one forceful move I rip that section of the toad's tongue right off.

That's right. I was getting _sick_ of _disgusting_ tongues!

 _'Ew, ew,_ ew, **ew!** _'_ I chant in my head as I throw the wiggling section of his tongue away from me, the toad falling back and crying in intense pain.

" _So gross!_ " I groan, trying to wipe the slime from his tongue off of my hand on the wall. I turn, looking towards Inuyasha to find him staring straight at me, a look of utter bewilderment on his face. "What?" I ask, feeling suddenly self-conscious. He doesn't have a chance to answer me, however, before the toad Lord breaks through the wall beside us and races across the rooftop towards the other side of the villa. His attention is effectively diverted as he rushes over to the opening.

"Lousy, _stinkin'_ toad!" He growls, glaring after it. "No way is he getting away! I'm going ahead!" With that he leaps down through the opening onto the rooftop below, racing after the possessed Lord.

 _'He_ left _me? Why that arrogant ass!'_ I glare after him, before looking towards Nobunaga. "Hey, you going to be alright in here with her?" I ask, Nobunaga frowning and nodding in answer. I turn, looking to see Inuyasha dropping from the rooftop.

 ** _'Let's go and find him!'_ **Mayumi urges. I turn, running back down the hallway and finding the entrance, before racing down towards the direction Inuyasha had taken off to. I come to a building with a busted door, Iniuyasha obviously inside. Stepping in I'm horrified at what I see.

Naked girls, hundreds of them, were trapped in what looked to be large toad eggs.

"What has he _done_ to them?" I ask in disbelief, seeing the girls from the village that afternoon near the front of the batch.

"He's sealed them in like toad spawn." Myoga explains from his perch on my shoulder. "Just as the rumors said. Young woman, kept in egg sacks until their souls ripen and can be eaten."

"Eaten? He _eats_ their _souls?_ " I frown in disgust and worry as I look over the numerous pods.

"With the power of the jewel shard in the young Lord's possession, no one can oppose him." Myoga continues, ending on an ominous note. My eyes hone in on the glowing shard in his shoulder once more. The toad leans his head back, his cheeks bubbling out.

"Poison gas! Watch out!" Inuyasha calls to me as he charges, and I quickly raise my hands forcing my energy outwards just as the toad opens it's mouth. The poison gas he would have enveloped us with is forced back into his mouth by my aura, and it is with sick enjoyment that I hold it there and watch as his face screws up in panic while he claws at his own neck.

"How do _you_ like it, huh?!" I yell out, Inuyasha once again stopping short to turn and look at me in bewilderment.

What? Did he _want_ to have to save me?

 ** _'Inuyasha isn't used to dealing with strong women.'_** Mayumi chimes in, giggle in amusement.

I let my hold on the poison gas go, seeing that most of it had diffused back into the toad's body. He was still breathing, but it was labored.

"How had that not killed him?" I ask Myoga, glancing at him as he still remarkably sat on my shoulder.

"It's his own poison. It doesn't affect him as severely as it does us." Myoga explains. "That was a good effort, though." I refrain from groaning and rolling my eyes.

He sounded like my gym teacher.

"I'm going to enjoy eating your soul!" The toad demon slurs out, obviously having trouble speaking with most of his tongue gone.

Yeah, _I_ did that.

"Not if I dissect you with this first!" Inuyasha calls out, drawing Tessaiga from it's sheath on his hip. I watch with amazement as it actually transforms for him for the first time since the battle with his brother. He takes a protective stance a few feet in front of me, his gaze confident as he looks at the toad. "I'll cut out the jewel shard myself!" Inuyasha shouts in promise, and I can't help laughing dryly.

"I don't want to die!" The toad whimpers pathetically, before tilting his head back and crying out. "Come to me!" He shouts towards the pods behind him. He reaches his slimy, webbed hand upwards. "Souls! _Souls!_ I need souls!" He calls out shakily, and the orbs behind him start to glow. The women's souls begin to emerge from the eggs, all floating towards the toad Lord as he opens his mouth wide to receive them. I feel horrified as he does, at a loss of what I could do to stop it. He stands with renewed energy, the poison obviously cleared from his system. "I live again." He chuckles lowly, looking happy as can be.

"Filthy, no-good…" Inuyasha trails off angrily as I grab onto my bow, swinging it back around and notching an arrow. The Prince be damned, I wasn't about to let the toad take more souls.

"What are you waiting for?" The toad opens his arms confidently, having seen me ready to shoot. "For every injury I get, I'll just eat another soul, and then replace it with yours!"

 _'No…'_ I think, hesitating then as I lower my bow and ease the tension on the drawstring as he moves towards me. How were we going to beat him without more souls being lost? Suddenly Tessaiga dropped on the toads head hard, causing him to lose balance with a pained grunt and fall to the ground.

Inuyasha, evidently, felt he could solve this problem.

The toad blinks blearily, and as he opens his eyes and speaks, there is definitely something different about him.

"P-princess Tsuyu?" I frown in confusion, before hearing a soft gasp coming from behind us at the doorway. Turning I see the Princess fully alert, leaning on Nobunaga for support. Looking back to the frog once more, he continues to look around confused. "What have I…where am…" As he looks around behind him his toad face shows disbelief. "Please, tell me this isn't _my_ doing." He begs then, clearly horrified. Was this the Lord?

"Well, well, isn't _that_ convenient." Inuyasha chimes in with a tone of sarcasm. Clearly he wasn't on the same page as me.

"That voice! It is the voice of my kind Lord husband!" Princess Tsuyu confirms then, her eyes wide.

"So the real Lord _is_ still alive." I say out loud, looking to Inuyasha. "Inuyasha, we have to help him!"

"After everything he's done?!" Inuyasha asks in disbelief, motioning towards the hundreds of souls behind the Lord. "After he tried to take _your_ soul? You want him to just walk away from this?"

"He's clearly not in control of his own body!" I argue. Maybe if we made this right somehow those poor souls behind him would find peace. As for him attacking me, I'm not pissed about it now I see what's going on, so why is Inuyasha?

"It's like a nightmare, but I can't wake up." The Lord leans over on all fours, clearly sweating as he stares down at his webbed hands in horrified shock. "Somehow I knew, deep inside, I realized what was happening, and yet I was powerless to stop it. I-I wanted to, but I couldn't." He looks towards Inuyasha, and then next thing he says floors me.

"Kill me, please."

"What?" I gasp, looking at the Lord wide eyed.

"My Lord!" Princess Tsuyu whimpers in fear.

"I don't think I have the strength to stop myself!" He goes on, as if to explain. I forcefully push the arrow back into my quiver and hook my bow over my shoulder. "Do it now, please, before it's too late!" He cries, tears streaming down from his large eyes.

"Alright! Now you're finally making sense." Inuyasha smirks, agreeing. He holds up Tessaiga welding it threateningly overhead. "Do I go through the gut, or cut off the head?"

" _No._ " I state firmly, narrowing my eyes at Inuyasha, before looking towards the Lord. "You don't get to give up, not that easily. Not after that demon has hurt so many young women."

"Are you not hearing him? He _told_ me to kill him! This isn't the time to be going all mushy!" Inuyasha argues, glaring at me.

"STOP IT!" Nobunaga's voice rings out as he steps out in front of the Prince, his arms outstretched protectively. "Sheath your sword, Inuyasha, please! Inside this monster the real Lord's heart is still beating!" He insists passionately. I blink in surprise, glancing from him to the Princess, before looking back towards the boy.

 _'That is an incredibly selfless move.'_ I think to myself in admiration. If Nobunaga would have let Inuyasha just finish the Lord off, he might have had a chance with the Princess. Instead he was choosing to try and save the Lord's life for the Princess.

"Move it little man, or I'll kill you too." Inuyasha threatens, letting his sword drop so the point hovers just in front of Nobunaga's nose.

"Please don't!"

"Then _move it!_ "

"I can't!" Nobunaga bravely denies. "I cannot let you kill him when the real Lord's heart is still in there! Besides, even if it wasn't in there I can't approve of you taking life. I know it's crazy to feel that way in the world today, but I can't help it, I can't." I frown deeply, wondering if there is a way out of this thing that wouldn't involve someone losing their life.

 ** _'You have my powers of purification. You could expose the demon, draw it like venom from a wound.'_** Mayumi speaks up, my eyes widening.

 _'How?'_ I ask urgently, moving to step forward. Inuyasha does something that shocks me to the core.

He actually backs down.

With an annoyed look he takes the sword, running the back of the large blade along the opening of his sheath, before sliding it back home. "Have it your way. I'll let you settle it yourself. The responsibility is your's now." He states, before turning away and taking a seat near the outskirts of the room. I blink in surprise, about to comment, but a chilling laughter fills the room.

 _'Oh no, he's back!'_ I think desperately to Mayumi, the toad slowly rising behind Nobunaga.

"Nobunaga, look out!" I exclaim, but it was too late. The toad Lord's tongue, now rejuvenated from his feast on souls, sticks straight through Nobunaga's shoulder from the back. With a cry of pain he stumbles forward, falling to the ground in a painful heap. The Princess runs to his aid.

 ** _'Are you ready?'_** Mayumi asks solemnly. **_'This is going to be difficult. It's going to drain you, but this is the only way that I can see where he gets to live.'_**

 _'I'm ready.'_ I frown, before feeling energy pulsing forth like a tidal wave from deep inside of me. It was like the flood gates were open, the air around us picking up into a vortex and whipping my ponytail straight up.

**_'When you feel it, release your aura and it's energy with everything you have.'_ **

_'When I feel_ what? _'_ I can't help thinking in confusion, everyone in the room seemingly frozen to the spot. I wait for what seems like minutes, even though it's only seconds.

Then _I feel it_.

A sense of weightlessness overcomes me, a cold brisk air filling my lungs as I gasp at the feeling. My entire body starts to tingle from my feet, working upwards towards my head.

Now, this was it.

With a yell I release it all, my aura bursting further as my energy hits the toad right on. With a scream he throws his head back, the toad demon slithering from the Lord's body like a ghost.

"Inuyasha!" I exclaim as I see the shard, pointing towards it.

"On it!" Inuyasha shouts, moving quickly and drawing Tessaiga, slicing straight through the demon's centre. I watch as the shard falls to the ground.

And darkness takes me.

* * *

"Yua? Hey, come on, wake up!" I groan softly, feeling my body being shaken as I slowly come back to consciousness. Opening my eyes I look up to meet amber ones as they stare down at me with concern. "There you are." He comments lightly, finally stopping with shaking me. I wince, feeling a pounding headache in my temples as I slowly sit up with his help.

"What happened?" I ask softly, my mind drawing a blank for a moment.

"Why don't you take a look?" Inuyasha replies, his hand resting on my back to help support me. He nods to my other side, and when I look I'm shocked at what I see.

"The Lord…he's back to normal." I gasp, looking at the very human Lord now. _'And he's not much of a looker.'_ I can't help but think, looking towards Nobunaga then, thinking him much more handsome. Even with the look of utter sadness on his face. _'Poor guy.'_

"He is. What did you do back there?" Inuyasha asks with a frown, and I try to think of a way to explain it.

"I-I don't know. It was just gut instinct." I try to shrug off.

"Mayumi used to be capable of purification." Inuyasha frowns, leaning back away from me as he looks towards the couple as well. "You must have inherited that ability."

"Must have." I agree weakly, looking away from him as I could see that familiar look of sad longing in his eyes at the mention of Mayumi.

"Are you alright?" Inuyasha asks, snapping me back to reality. I look up to him, thankful that look from before was now gone.

"Yeah, just really drained." I reply softly, moving to try and stand. Inuyasha gets up before me, reaching down under my arms to help me up. I stumble, but he catches me against his chest, his arms wrapping around me. I feel my heart racing as the warmth from his body radiates through our clothes, and I can feel his strong chest through his kimono under my hands. The sleeves of his kimono covered me almost from shoulder to ankle, making me wish I could honestly just hide from the world in them.

"Uh, Yua?" Inuyasha asks nervously, and I lean back, instantly sensing the tenseness that now settles in his posture. "Come on, let's go and check on the kid." He lets go of me with one arm, the other staying wrapped around my middle to make sure I don't stumble again as we make our way over. The morning sun was starting to shine into the hut, signalling that the new day was here.

"Wait!" I stop him, stepping away from his arm and looking around frantically. "The jewel shard?!"

"It's right here." Inuyasha replies, pulling the silk sack that I used to possess from his pant pocket. He hands it over to me without hesitation, and I open it up to see two shards almost identical in shape and size resting inside. Breathing a sigh of relief I close the sack, holding it back out for him to take. Instead he shakes his head, gently pushing my hand holding it back towards me.

"Keep it." He murmurs, and I watch on wide eyed as he walks away on out the door. I bring the shards to my chest, feeling a blush work it's way onto my cheeks.

He _trusted_ me.

"Hey, Nobunaga." I call to him gently, and he looks to me with sad eyes. _'Oh god, he looks like someone took his favorite toy. Or…I guess in this case his one true love.'_ I mentally smack myself for being so inconsiderate. "Let's go, yeah?" I ask, nodding towards the exit. He glances back towards the Princess one last time, before turning and leaving with me out the door. We exit the grounds without further notice, walking a good distance before thankfully stopping on a nearby ridge.

I still felt like the shit was kicked out of me!

"What happened to all the girls?" I ask as Inuyasha and I sit down under the tree. I figured I must have missed quite a bit when I was out.

"They were set free. The Lord is going to ensure their safe passage home." Inuyasha replies, sitting crossed legged with his arms folded. I nod, frowning a little as I look to Nobunaga's back as he stares at the castle.

"I honestly do feel sorry for him." I comment softly. "I know what it's like. To love someone who doesn't love you back." I swallow thickly, thinking of the first boy I had ever fallen in love with back home. I had been young, only fourteen at the time, but it still had hurt a great deal when that boy had turned around and made fun of me about it. _'At least this scenario wasn't as cruel. She cares for him, but she's bound to her marriage.'_

"He'll get over it." Inuyasha replies, and though his words are blunt, they are said with an understanding as well.

"Well, I should be on my way." Nobunaga stands with a sigh, turning to face us and bowing his head. "I thank you both for your help in my mission, but now we must part ways. Hopefully we will see each other again sometime in the future."

"Uh, alright. Yeah, no problem. Glad we could help." I respond awkwardly as he holds his head high, grabbing his walking stick then and turning back around. He walks with an air of importance…even as he goes toppling over another ridge.

I'm sure that won't be the last we hear about that clumsy, love-sick boy.


	10. Thunder and Lightening

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!
> 
> AeAe: Thank you so much for your supportive review! I'm certainly happy that you did stumble upon this story! I hope you continue to enjoy it as it progresses!
> 
> As always, thank you to Kimba1212, joyousmia, Brknfire, nmeijerink, Cleo_Martin_01, LorettaLee1880, CatNapTime, Wolvesnight, and LunaDeath1 as well as 4 guests that have left kudos on this story! 
> 
> ONWARD!

_'Of all the places…'_ I can't help thinking, looking down at the pot in front of me as I stir some left over stew over the fire Inuyasha had made for us. Looking around, I can't help cringing a little, wondering _how_ this could be so normal for him that he even found an _appetite_ here. 

We were currently sitting in the middle of an old _battlefield._

Skulls and bones could be easily seen scattered along the ground below the small dirt hill we were on. I had suggested we try and make it to the forest first, but _no,_ he had to stubbornly insist that he was hungry _now_ and that it was time to eat.

 _'What a toddler.'_ I can't help thinking to myself as I scoop out the food into a wooden bowl, handing it to him.

I, on the other hand, for some _odd reason_ couldn't find my own appetite.

"You aren't going to eat?" Inuyasha asks, looking at me curiously after taking a sip from his bowl.

"I'm not that hungry right now." I reply dryly, sitting back on the small rock I had perched myself on.

"Suit yourself." Was his only reply, before he digs back into his food with gusto. I give a large sigh, before frowning deeply as the skies above suddenly get very dark.

"What's going on?" I frown as I stand, looking up at the sky as the clouds roll over us. The wind was even starting to pick up, the air charged and feeling like there was a storm coming in. That couldn't be right though, it had been blue skies as far as the eye could see earlier.

"I don't know, but something is telling me it's trouble." Inuyasha insists, standing as well now as he sets his stew to the side. I frown, trying my best to feel out for a jewel shard, but there was nothing.

" _You down there!_ " A voice suddenly exclaims, and as I continue to watch the sky I'm amazed to see a swirling pinwheel of blue flames appear. "You possess a piece of the sacred Shikon Jewel!" The voice correctly identifies.

 _'He hardly sounds intimidating though.'_ I think to myself with a frown. _'In fact, it sounds like the voice of a_ kid. _'_ I think in confusion as the swirling blue fire gets larger in front of us.

"I believe this is the doing of a fox." Myoga points out from Inuyasha's shoulder. A fox demon?

"Not likely, Myoga." Inuyasha denies, frowning as he takes hold of Tessaiga, but doesn't draw it. The fire suddenly recedes into a blue orb, before a loud _'POP'_ is heard echoing through the valley.

And a giant pink balloon with _a face_ comes flying towards us.

Both Inuyasha and I look at each other dumbfounded, before looking back to whatever the heck this was.

"Give me the jewel shards, or it shall be your lives!" The voice goes on as it drifts towards Inuyasha. I watch in amusement as the mouth of the balloon face attaches to the top of Inuyasha's head. Barely resisting the urge to laugh, I watch as Inuyasha, looking thoroughly unimpressed, lightly taps at the balloon a few times with the knuckle of his pointer finger. No wonder I hadn't felt any kind of signature earlier. If this was a demon, it was a very weak one. Inuyasha draws his hand back, and with one swoop he successfully smacks the balloon head off of his own. I can hear the poor creature screaming as it seems to deflate, flying wildly away. Whoever he is doesn't make it too far before the pink balloon forms the ball of blue fire from before, and after a few seconds a small boy appears and drops to the ground.

 _'He's so_ cute! _'_ I can't help thinking as I watch the poor kid sit up and rub at his cheek, his eyes glossy with tears. My heart melts almost instantly, and I move to go to him.

"Wait." Inuyasha frowns as he reached out and grabs my wrist in his hand. I look to him in disbelief.

"He's just a _kid._ " I exclaim, pointing to the poor boy.

"He's a fox demon, and they're known to be sly tricksters." Inuyasha states with a small frown. "We still need to be careful with the shards." I sigh heavily, feeling the silk sack against my chest under my top as I pull my wrist from his hold.

"It'll be _fine._ " I reply in a soothing voice, and Inuyasha doesn't stop me this time as I make my way over to the little boy. He has reddish-brown hair, just a touch of a shade lighter than my own, tied up into a ponytail with a blue scrap of cloth. He is dressed in a blue kimono, the top a light blue and the bottoms dark. The top of his kimono has what looks to be leaf designs on it, and was covered in a brown vest.

Then there was his tail, his cute, _fluffy_ , tail.

Looking up at me his blue eyes go wide as he scrambles back. I instantly get down on my knees to be more at his level, holding out my hands so he could see I didn't mean him any harm. Something deep inside of me pulled hard at the look of fear on his face.

"Hey, it's alright. We don't want to hurt you." I try to calm him down, Inuyasha coming to stand behind me. His shadow swallows my own as he crosses his arms, still looking down at the little boy with suspicion.

"Speak for yourself." He growls lowly, and I turn to look at him over my shoulder, narrowing my eyes in warning. He thankfully shuts up at that, so I turn back to look at the boy once more having fully expected him to be scared shitless by Inuyasha.

"How dare you burst my bubble!" The boy shouts at him as he stands up angrily. I blink, shocked.

This kid had a _set_ on him.

Inuyasha seems to think the same thing as he grabs the kid by the tail before he can run away, lifting him up as I stand as well. He gazes at him with narrowed eyes, clearly still impatient when it came to this kid's antics.

"You're a feisty little guy, ain't ya?" Inuyasha asks as he holds the boy by his tail to his eye level.

"Well, that's about as close to a compliment as I've ever heard come from _you._ " I state lightly, brushing the dust from the ground off of my knees. Inuyasha shoots me a look, before returning his attention to the small boy.

"Nice tail, are you a badger or a squirrel?" He asks teasingly, and the boy looks absolutely infuriated.

"I'm a _fox_ demon!" He snaps at him, before suddenly his body transforms into a heavy stone weight, taking Inuasyha down with him.

"Did he just transform into a _statue_?" I ask, but am soon answered when I hear something rustling in our things back where we had set up before. "Hey!" I frown, the boy tossing our vegetables, fruits, and spices from the small bag all over the ground. It was clear he was digging around to try and find the jewel shard. I sigh heavily, grabbing at the string around my neck and pulling the silk sack out from underneath my shirt. "Yo, kid, you looking for _this?!_ " I call to him, and he stops dead in his tracks. Slowly he turns towards me, blue eyes sharp as his gaze locks onto the bag dangling from my finger. Quickly he scrambles over to me, standing at my feet and looking up to me with his big blue eyes.

"Can I please look at them? I only want to see." He places his hands together, lacing his fingers under his chin. I scoff, stuffing the bag back under my shirt.

"Listen kid, that crap doesn't work on me with my own cousin." I told him seriously, and he pouts, crossing his arms and glaring up at me now.

"My name isn't _'kid'_." He insists, and I place my hands on my hips.

"Okay, what _is_ it then?" I ask in return, lifting an eyebrow at him.

"It's _Shippo!_ " He proclaims, placing his own hands on his hips to mimic me. I hold back a small smile of amusement at the stubborn look on his face, inexplicably feeling myself warming up to the small fox demon.

"I'm Yua, and this is Inuyasha." I introduce, before tilting my head. "Well, Shippo, are you hungry?" I ask gently then, and the boy didn't even have to bother answering as his stomach grumbles loudly. He winces, placing his little hands over his stomach with a frown. "Come on, we've got plenty."

"Now we're _feeding_ that would-be thief?!" Inuyasha asks indignantly. I ignore him while rolling my eyes.

"Come on, Shippo." I nod for him to follow me back to the fire, grabbing my unused wooden bowl and scooping my portion of the stew into it. I gently hand it to him as he sits down, looking on edge. "It's still hot, so be careful."

"T-thank you." Shippo murmurs softly, blowing on the stew before taking a sip of it. Inuyasha soon comes to join us, sitting down cross legged and finishing his own stew, his suspicious gaze not once leaving the little boy. I frown as I watch him start to scarf the stew down once it was cool enough, clearly having been starving before now.

 _'Where are his parents?'_ I can't help thinking with worry. "So what made you so determined to get the shards?" I ask instead, the boy frowning sadly as he looks down and away.

"For my Father." He answers, setting the now empty bowl down and crossing his arms. I look from him towards Inuyasha, who seems to be paying more attention now as well. "I need to get the shards of the jewel to avenge him." My heart drops.

 _'Avenge? Then this kid's Dad is dead?'_ I frown deeply, my thought from earlier half answered. "What happened to him?" I ask gently, not sure if Shippo would even be ready to talk about it. He was so young to have lost him. What about his Mother?

"Oh I get it." Inuyasha interrupts with a superior tone. "The kid isn't strong enough to do it on his own, so he wants the jewel shards."

" _Inuyasha!_ " I frown at him. How could he be so callous?

" _No!_ I'm strong enough!" Shippo protests angrily. "I-I just wanted them as a precaution." He admits, his voice growing small. Sending Inuyasha one more glare to make sure he shut up, I turned back to the kid, my gaze softening.

"Go on." I told him gently. He hesitated, before nodding.

"It all started not too long ago. Hundreds of warriors were engaged in a battle near the forest where we lived. A dark cloud passed overhead so suddenly, dark and evil. No one could imagine the horrors that it would bring." Shippo's face goes a little white. "Everyone was first puzzled by the strange turn in the weather. Then they came, _the Thunder Brothers._ "

"Thunder Brothers?" I question, eyebrow lifting in surprise. _'They sound like a boy band.'_

 ** _'They are anything but.'_ **Mayumi responds grimly. **_'Hitan and Manten, I've heard of them both before. They're ruthless killers,_ true _demons.'_**

"They took out the entire army near our forest easily. With the help of the jewels shards they both have embedded on their foreheads they were unstoppable. They wanted more, though, and they knew my Father possessed a shard himself." Shippo frowns, his eyes narrowing in on where he knew the shards rested under my shirt. "He had found it one day when hunting. They came to our home, and destroyed it. My Father died protecting me from them." I watch as his face slowly morphs into one of guilt.

 _'Poor kid.'_ I think, before looking towards Inuyasha. He looks at me, and I know what he's thinking instantly. We had to find these demons, and Shippo was our best bet.

"Well you're in luck then, kid. We're going to help you get your revenge." Inuyasha stands as I start to gather up the small camp we had made for lunch. I use the rest of the water I hadn't for the stew to quickly rinse out the bowls before shaking them to get them as dry as possible and putting them away. The pot would have to wait till later, but it wasn't too messy inside anyways. I glance to the boy as he watches us both with suspicion.

"You don't want to help me." He accuses Inuyasha as he points at him. "You just want to take the shards for yourselves." I move to kneel down in front of Shippo as Inuyasha grabs our gear, slinging it over his shoulder.

"Trust me when I tell you it's better us, than anyone else at this point." Looking him in the eyes I can see him still hesitate. "I was the one that shattered the jewel weeks ago." I admit to him. "Now Inuyasha and I have been tasked to gather them so we might piece it back together. I'm to be it's new protector." When Shippo's expression softens slightly, I nod, standing up. "Besides, you'll have a better chance against those demons with our help. You get to avenge your Father, we get to continue to ensure the safety of the jewel shards. We all get what we want in the end." I hold me hand down for the small fox demon. He looks between my hand to my face, before back to my hand again. Slowly he reaches for it, and I gently take his hand to help him stand up. An electric shock rushes through my system, eyes widening at the feeling.

What had _that_ been?

"Alright. Deal." Shippo agrees, dusting his clothes off. "But how are we going to find them?"

"Yua can sense the power from the jewel. It shouldn't be too difficult to find them, especially if they are in possession of multiple shards." Inuyasha answers. I suddenly feel the weight of the boy as he climbs up my back and comes to stand on my shoulder. He's surprisingly light, I notice as I look to him with wide eyes.

"I'm tired." He muttered bashfully, and I can't help a small laugh hearing him.

"Alright, this is fine for now." I reply, turning to look back towards Inuyasha. He's watching us intently, but shakes himself out of it as our eyes lock.

"Well, let's get a move on then!" Inuyasha exclaims impatiently, turning and heading for the nearby forest. I sigh heavily, grabbing my bow and quiver of arrows.

 _'This must be the battle ground from Shippo's story.'_ I realize as I take one last look over at the scattered bones. _'The lightening was powerful enough to melt the skin, tissues, and muscles right off of their bodies.'_ It made me a little wary, wondering what exactly we might be walking into.

* * *

"So, I have to ask." Shippo begins from his spot on my shoulder. "You're so nice. How did you end up working with a miserable half demon like him?"

Oh, I _like_ this kid.

" _Watch it,_ squirt!" Inuyasha gripes from above us as he leaps from tree to tree.

"I can smell human all over you." Shippo doesn't heed the warning, talking with a tone of spoiled importance. "A half demon like yourself has no business in the affairs of full demons." Nope, _that_ was going too far. Inuyasha jumps down from the tree, an annoyed look on his face as he slowly approaches us. I frown, reaching up and grabbing Shippo by his left ear, pinching it firmly.

" _Owwww!_ " Shippo cries out, Inuyasha stopping in his tracks to watch on then.

"That was rude. Inuyasha has been kind enough to help you," _'Despite it being for selfish reasons,'_ I grumble inwardly, "when he didn't have to. Neither did I, quite frankly. We could have just left you back there and been on our merry way to finding these jewel shards on our own. Apologize."

" _What?!_ Apologize to a stupid _half breed?!_ " Okay, that was enough of that. I definitely couldn't tolerate his prejudice attitude, even if he was only a kid. I pinch down even harder. "AH! Okay! _OKAY!_ I'm sorry!" Shippo whimpers out, and I let his ear go. He rubs at it, tears in his eyes from the sting. Even as he looks at me from the side through narrowed eyes he stays put on my shoulder.

"Glad someone is teaching him a lesson." Inuyasha mutters irritably, still looking unimpressed.

"You mean on how to respect my elders?" Shippo bites out, obviously still bitter. It was better than his comments about half demons at least.

"That's _it!_ " Inuyasha snaps and moves to grab the little fox. Shippo dodges, planting the stature on Inuyasha's hands once more and this time placing a spell scroll on it.

_That dodgy little fucker._

Shippo leaps back a few feet, pointing and laughing at Inuyasha. "Now you're stuck until you can get that spell scroll off!"

"Shippo, that was _completely_ unnecessary! Release the spell." I frown at the little boy. He looks the other way haughtily, clearly not the least bit sorry. " _Shippo!_ " When he didn't move I turned to Inuyasha. "Is it really _that_ heavy?" I ask dubiously as he struggles to slide his hands out from underneath.

"I'd like to see _you_ give this a try!" Inuyasha replies, giving a great heave before groaning as the statue didn't budge anywhere. Maybe I could use my own powers to dispel it myself?

"Thank you for these by the way!" Shippo speaks up, lifting the silk sack up high in the air for us both to see. My mouth drops open as I reach into my top trying to feel for the shards.

 _'That two-timing little devil!'_ I think, bewildered. "Just what do you think you're going to be able to do with those?" I ask him then as I frown.

"I'll use them to flush out the Thunder Brothers!" Shippo proclaims, before racing off in the opposite direction.

"Shippo! You have _no idea_ what you're doing!" I call to him uselessly, his tail bouncing behind him as he continues to run. 'He's going to get himself _killed!_ ' Without thinking any further, I race after him.

"WAIT! Yua! Get this thing off of me!" Inuyasha yells, and I look over my shoulder, hesitating. Looking forward once more I could see Shippo was gaining ground, and I was losing sight of him.

"I'll be back, Inuyasha! Just hang tight!" I make the executive decision to try and catch the fox demon while I still could. It would only take a few moments anyways, and I'd be back to release him. No harm done.

Minutes later I come upon Shippo as he's thrown to the ground, and as luck with have it, a demon with a large oval face and large mouth with pointed stood menacingly above him. I can feel the electric charge of this demon's aura as it washes over me in an overpowering wave.

"A shard of the Shaken Jewel!" The demon grins wickedly, eyes gleaming with excitement. He steps closer to Shippo, and consequently the silk sack that carried the jewels now laying behind him. As the demon steps through the long grass I get a better look at him. He's got a single braid of hair off the back of his nearly bald head. His body is large, but short, covered with colorful armor. The shoulder pads were blue, purple silk wrapping around his body to hold them there. The chest place of his arm was a gradient from black to red, and his lower half was covered with what looked to be the remains of a fox.

 ** _'One of the Thunder Brothers.'_** Mayumi identifies. **_'And it looks like he must have Shippo's Father wrapped around his middle.'_** She adds grimly. My stomach churns, anger from before instantly forgotten.

Shippo tries to crawl for the shards, but the monster steps on his tail stopping him. I draw my bow, notching an arrow and shooting it directly at the demon's feet. Surprised, the demon becomes unbalanced with his foot releasing Shippo's tail.

"Shippo! Get behind me!" I call to him, notching another arrow. He looks up, surprised, but quickly scrambles to me. When he gets behind me I can feel him gripping at the back of my leg, his whole body shaking in fear.

"I'll just have to kill the _both_ of you." The demon chuckled, opening his mouth as lightening begins to fill it. My eyes widen in shock, before I let the arrow fly. At the last minute his head turns, causing the arrow to pierce him straight through the nose. The lightening dissipates in his mouth from his shock of being hit.

"My nose, my _beautiful_ nose!" He cries out in true grief, and I can't help looking at him dumbfounded.

_Seriously?_

**_'This must be Manten. It's been said he is constantly concerned with his looks.'_** Mayumi speaks up.

 _'Look, the jewel shard is in his forehead.'_ I respond to her, spotting the now familiar glow from the jewel's energy as I notch another arrow.

 ** _'Hit him there, it'll bring him down.'_** Mayumi instructs. I nod, releasing the arrow. This time my aim is too good, and it hits his forehead but grazes off of the jewel shards and arches over the top of his head. However, as I notch another arrow I notice that he's shaking and hardly moving.

 _'What the hell?'_ I frown, pulling back and watching him intently. He reaches up to his nearly bald head, the three strands of hair being the only thing left.

Well, one, now that two of the strands fell off.

Both the black hairs drifted elegantly to the ground as his face fills with absolute rage. Tears falling down from his eyes he throws his head back, opening his mouth as lightening starts to charge around him. My eyes widen as I feel the force of his energy building, the skies turning dark almost instantly as lightening comes down to envelop him as well.

"That's the same kind of attack that killed my Dad!" Shippo exclaims.

**_'You need to run, Yua! NOW!'_ **

I didn't need any further convincing. I turn and urge Shippo to start running, racing after him and away from the quickly charging demon.

 _'It's too late, we aren't going to get away in time.'_ I think frantically as I feel his energy pulse. "Keep going, Shippo! Find Inuyasha!" I call to him, before turning sharply, throwing my hands out and concentrating my own energy forward into a barrier. His lightening hits it full force, and I gasp as the force of the impact drags me backwards a few feet. I close my eyes, unable to handle the bright light of the lightening as it meets my aura.

 ** _'He's going to break through!'_** Mayumi yells, and I squint my eyes open enough to see what looked to be little hairline fractures cracking in my shield. Looking behind me I see that Shippo had thankfully listening and was gone. **_'Here it comes, brace yourself!'_ **In a sudden rush his lightening breaks fully through and I go flying, landing hard on the ground yards away. As I lay on my side I can see the crater left behind from his attack, right where I had been standing only moments before.

**_'Yua? YUA?!'_ **

Mayumi's panicked voice is the last thing I hear before my world goes dark.

* * *

**Inuyasha's POV**

I watched intently as Myoga pulled at the binding spell, frowning as my annoyance rose to a new level when he couldn't get it.

"I'm sorry, Lord Inuyasha, I can't remove the spell scroll." Myoga looks up at me apologetically, but it doesn't help. This was getting fucking uncomfortable.

"Why the hell had Yua run off like that?!" I gripe then to the flea, heaving once more to no avail. "She should know better than to go without me!"

"Forgive me for saying this, but the girl is quite independent and capable." Myoga replies, and I shoot him a narrowed look. If only I had my hands free right now. I pull once more with a groan.

"I'm going to kill that little fox!" I promise out loud. "He'll regret doing this to me!"

"Inuyasha!" Shippo's voice suddenly shouts out as he appears before me, hands on his hips and his little chest puffed out. I blink in surprise, instantly noticing that Yua wasn't with him.

 _'Where is she?'_ I think, worry sweeping through me. I cover it with annoyance as I glare at the little fox standing before me.

"I'll help you on _one_ condition!" The little pest continues on, negotiating. "You need to promise not to hit me anymore."

Yeah, _that's_ not going to happen.

"Where is Yua? Why didn't she come back with you?" I surprisingly find myself asking, rather that lying to get out of this mess. This wasn't like her, she doesn't just disappear.

"Will you promise me or won't you?" The boy demands again, and I make sure to stare down at him for a few minutes to make my answer seem convincing.

"Okay, I won't strike you." I reply after a few moments, keeping eye contact with the small fox demon till he finally got rid of the statue. He waved his hand, the weight lifting off of my own as the statue shrinks back to it's small size. Shippo catches it easily, naively confident that I wouldn't break my promise.

"Alright, I'll tell you where she is." He says, but his eyes widen last minute as he realizes his mistake.

Time to teach the brat another lesson.

I pummel the top of his head, making sure to not actually hurt him too badly. After all, I still needed him to tell me where Yua was. When I'm done he's tearfully rubbing at his head, looking at me all dejected.

_Not a single fuck was given on my part._

"Now where _is_ she?" I demand, and Shippo glares at me.

"We had a _promise!_ "

"Where is she? Tell me, _now_." I command, voice sterner. Shippo seems to freeze then, looking at me with wide eyes as his nose reaches upwards, showing me his throat.

Was he…being _submissive_ to me?

I reach down, an unfamiliar instinct pulling at me as my claws run through his hair, being sure to be careful by the goose-egg I had created that would soon heal.

_Pack._

The feeling hits me, though not as hard as it had with Yua all those weeks ago. Shippo leans back then, looking sheepish now.

"We ran into the Thunder Brother Manten. He got really mad when she accidentally cut his hair with her arrow." Shippo began, and I could already feel a sense of dread washing through me. "She told me to run, and she tried to stop the blast of his lightening, but she couldn't. She's still alive, but he took her." Shippo frowns, guilt on his face. "She told me to get these back to you." He adds, digging into his kimono to fish out the silk bag that held our shards. He offers them up to me, and I blink in surprise.

I hadn't even thought about how we might have lost those.

I take them, storing them safely away, before turning to Myoga.

"Do you know where they might have taken her?" I ask the seemingly all knowing flea. He frowns, clearing thinking.

"I have heard rumor of their hideaway up in the foothills." He responds, pointing to a rocky outcropping miles away. The dark clouds seemed to hover just over that spot, and I can't help but think of the irony in it. Of course their lair would be shrouded by thunder clouds.

"Alright, then let's get going. We've got a lot of work to do." I comment, grabbing our things and throwing them over my shoulder. "Let's go Shippo." I call over my shoulder to him with determination, not turning to see if he followed as we make our way down the road.

_'Hold on, Yua, we're coming.'_

* * *

**Yua's POV**

I wake to the sound of maniacal laughter, and an awful smell that attacked my senses. Opening my eyes I look blearily ahead, noticing that I was laying on a large slab of wood. Manten stood at the other side of the room with his back towards me, obviously in a much better mood. As my gaze lands on the large butcher knife, I have a sinking feeling why.

 _'I'm his lunch.'_ I think to myself in disgust.

 ** _'You're awake!'_** Mayumi shouts in relief. **_'I've been trying to rouse you for hours!'_**

 _'Where am I?'_ I frown deeply, slowly raising my head to try and look around more.

 ** _'You're at the Thunder Brother's stronghold. Shippo made it away safely.'_** I feel a rush of relief hearing about Shippo, but it's quickly replaced with uncertainty.

 _'How am I going to get out of here?'_ I ask her then, knowing without a doubt that Manten was more powerful that me. Not only that, but I could feel my energy still drained from trying to block his attack before.

"Awoken have you, my fair maiden." Manten speaks up as he looks over his shoulder. I rise to my knees, eyeing my bow and arrows leaning against the nearby wall. "I wouldn't try it if I were you." He tsked me, shaking his head. Frowning I lean back on my heels.

"Where am I?" I ask, my voice cracking slightly. No doubt it was still raw from screaming before. Manten turns to me fully, revealing where that awful smell was coming from. Beside him there was a large stove, and one of the pots was boiling something. It was a weird shade of purple, and thick in consistency.

"That's the least of your worries. Sit down, stay a while. It's almost ready." Manten replies confidently, a hungry grin on his pierced face. The dude hadn't even stopped long enough to take my arrow out of his snout!

"Yeah, sorry, I don't think I can stay for dinner." I reply easily, slowly crawling back away from him. He laughs.

"This isn't for dinner, sweet thing. Young maidens like yourself, your skin and blood, do wonders for growing hair. Some might call it the wonder potion of the century." Manten explains, and I look at him utterly bewildered.

"You're turning me into some sick _hair product?!_ " I exclaim in disbelief

"Shh!" Manten suddenly hisses out urgently, holding his hands up in front of him in a placating manner. "Keep your voice down. If brother Hiten hears you, you _will_ become dinner!" I swallow thickly, having forgotten about the other brother.

Hopefully he was as dumb as this one.

All of a sudden the door blasts away, revealing a much more handsome young demon, his eyes blood red as he stared down at us cruelly. His lips are turned up in amusement, his arm wrapped around a female demon with red eyes of her own.

 _'Well, I can see why Manten is so obsessed with his looks now.'_ I think to myself, taking in Hiten's full head of jet black hair and flawless face. My eyes lock onto the jewel shard in his forehead. _'There's the other one.'_

"Back so soon, Manten?" Hiten asks, a cocky air about him. The barely dressed female demon beside him laughs softly.

 _'Is that a_ snake _wrapped around her_ boobs? _'_ I can't help inwardly cringing.

"That _thing_ is your brother?" She asks with an amused look, her tone cold.

"Hiten, how good to see you." Manten replies, looking meek. Now this was an interesting dynamic.

"Who's she?" Hiten demands, his red eyes roaming over me. I feel oddly violated, especially when he gives me a wink once his eyes reach my own. A disgusted shiver runs down my spine.

_Great._

The first guy to notice me in ages and he's a _homicidal pervert_.

"What's she doing here?" He demands then, looking back to his brother thankfully. Manten steps in front of me, throwing his arm out to block me from view.

"She's mine! I found her first!" I resist rolling my eyes. He sounded like a toddler claiming a toy.

"No need to worry." Hiten quickly soothes his brother. "I have no use for her. Not when I have _this_ little vixen." He smirks perversely, looking down at the scantily clad woman under his arm.

 _'Good for you buddy. Let the STDs run_ wild! _'_ I frown, glancing towards my bow and arrows once more. I needed them to be of any use to myself right now. My energy was too low to create as well as focus.

"Hey Manten, how did you fare in your search for more jewel fragments?" Hiten asks then, his own jewel shards glinting in the low light provided by the torches. My heart stills, hoping that Shippo had managed to keep a hold of them after he had fled. Manten looks sheepishly away from his brother.

"Oh right, how could I have forgotten?" He states innocently, clearly not wanting to admit that he had lost them. Hiten approaches him, looking pissed off as he does, and Manten quickly changes his story. "I'm sorry dear brother I found some but I lost them!"

"How many did you lose?" Hiten asks, voice hard.

"Two." Manten replies honestly, his head hung low. With this dynamic going on right now it was easy to tell who had put himself in charge.

"Don't tell me you were so interested in this _woman_ that you forgot about the jewel shards." Hiten raises his fist, his face screwed up I rage as his body shakes. He whips his hand out behind him, blood red eyes flying open wide as he yells and expels his energy backwards. The woman behind is caught completely off-guard as his lightening engulfs her and burns her body to a crisp.

"Holy _shit!_ " I gasp when I see the damage, Manten quickly moving to kneel before his brother's feet.

"Please, Hiten, forgive me!" Manten begs, Hiten looking hardly pacified.

"You bring nothing but shame to this family. If you were not my younger brother I would have done you in long ago." Hiten proclaims, Manten shaking in front of him.

 _'Un_ believable. _Why does Manten stick around for this? I felt his attack, he has plenty power on his own.'_ I frown deeply, but not from worry for the younger Thunder Brother, but realizing that Hiten was even more powerful and clearly the leader. I may be able to slip by Manten, but Hiten I doubt would be so easy to fool. Manten proceeds to bubbler out the story, dropping Shippo's name.

"So, this Shippo tyke has the jewel shards?" Hiten asks, though he doesn't wait for an answer as he turns away with a flick of his long braid.

"Are you going after him?" Manten asks.

"Of course I am! And you're coming with me." He orders, my stomach dropping then.

Shippo…Inuyasha…they couldn't handle both on their own. I slowly start to move, crawling over towards where my bow was only feet away.

"Where do you think _you're_ going?!" Manten snaps, catching me. He grabs his butcher knife, swinging it down at me. I roll to the side, just barely being missed, before smoothly grabbing my bow from the wall along with an arrow from the quiver. I come to my feet, barely having enough time to wonder at my sudden act of uncharacteristic grace, before I pull my arrow back and manipulate my energy into it.

"Don't move, _either_ of you." I snap, glaring at the both of them. Hiten looks a mixture of annoyed and amused as he turns back to fully regard me. Manten looks nervous.

Maybe he's afraid I'll take the last strand of hair?

"And just _what_ are you going to do with that, little girl." Hiten coos sarcastically, taking another step towards me. My eyes narrow, a smirk forming on my lips as I think of a plan.

"Take another step and you'll see." I challenge back. Hiten laughs this time, a smirk on his lips.

"For a human girl you're pretty ballsy." He comments eyes surveying me again. "Not half bad in looks either. Not the prettiest, mind you, but not the ugliest either."

_Excuse me?!_

I let my arrow fly then right towards the wall to Hiten's right. My focused energy hits with the arrow, blasting the side of the wall away and sending both Hiten and Manten flying. I grab my quiver, racing towards my man-made exit before the dust even has a chance to settle. I run, not even sure what direction I was running or where to. I just needed to put as much space between the Thunder Brothers and I as possible. I look ahead, my heart dropping as I see a large gate, the equally large doors shut. Running up I yank at the handles desperately, shouting in frustration when the doors didn't budge.

"Come the _fuck on!_ " I shout to the overcast sky, banging my fist angrily against the door.

"Well that was certainly stupid." Hiten's voice rings in my ear, and I can feel his warm breath wash over my neck as he speaks. My green eyes go wide, entire body stiffening as I figure this is going to be it. _I'm dead._

Instead I feel his nose run along my neck.

"You smell of another demon." He growls lowly then. "No, a _half_ demon."

_'Inuyasha!'_

"Does this half demon travel with you? Would he have the shards?" Hiten demands, grabbing me by the shoulders and twisting me around to face him. " _Answer_ me, woman!" He growls, before slamming me back hard against the doors. I wince, but look away, refusing to answer. If I did Hiten might find them, and I couldn't let that happen.

_'If he finds Inuyasha and Shippo he'll kill them both.'_

**_'But if you don't say something he's going to kill_ you! _'_** Mayumi points out urgently. A painful slap against my left cheek brings me out from my thoughts. I gasp, cupping that cheek with my hand as the residual sting crawls across my skin.

" _Answer me!_ " Hiten shouts in my face. Even with tears in my eyes I continue to look away, refusing to make eye contact. He suddenly backs off, crossing his arms. "You act like a loyal mate." He mutters, flicking his braid back behind his shoulder. "If I follow the scent on you I'll find him, and no doubt the shards." He turns towards his brother. "Mount up, Manten. She'll ride with you. We'll get to the bottom of this." He promises, the cruel smirk back on his face.

 _'I'm so sorry, Inuyasha.'_ I think, Manten coming forward and taking my bow and arrows away once more. He set them on the cloud that he manifests out of thin air, before grabbing me and throwing me on behind him. Hiten power up, small flamed wheels coming to slide right beside his ankles as he slowly levitates off of the ground.

Please, don't be close.

* * *

I watch the landscape below as we hover over it, hoping I don't see any sign of red, silver, or blue below.

_Oh no._

There he was, Shippo surprisingly on his shoulder as he jumps from peak to peak gracefully. He lands on the tallest one below us, and that's where Hiten decides to strike.

" _INUYASHA!_ " I scream his name, trying to warn him. He looks up just in time to see the attack coming, launching himself and Shippo into mid-air to avoid the brunt of the lightening. Waiting anxiously I can't help glancing at my bow and arrows, just a little out of reach. They both go flying, separating during the blast. Shippo lands hard, bouncing away as Inuyasha lands gracefully on his feet. Hiten hardly gives them time to recover before he lets loose another attack, Inuyasha just barely dodging as he picks Shippo up while running past.

"Very impressive maneuver, dodging my lightening bolt." Hiten compliments sarcastically, smirking down at them as he hovers above. "You must be the reputed Inuyasha himself." He deduces, resting his staff against his shoulder.

 _'Reputed?! I refused to even_ talk _about the guy!'_ I think in annoyance.

"Where's Yua?! What have you done with her?!" Shippo jumps up onto Inuyasha's shoulder, glaring up at Hiten. I'm momentarily struck by how much the little twerp seemed to be worried about me.

"Don't despair. We haven't done anything to her as of yet." Hiten replies easily, before turning his head upwards towards us. "Manten!" Manten moves the cloud to come and hover closer to where Hiten now was.

"Coming brother!" He cries loyally, before grabbing me and shoving me towards the edge of the cloud. "Behold!"

"Yua!" Inuyasha calls, a worried frown on his face.

"Judging by your expression it seems I was right." Hitter suddenly speaks up, looking down at Inuyasha with amusement. "Now hand over the fragments of the Shakon Jewel to me, or you'll never see your _lover_ alive again."

 _'It won't matter if he hands over the shards or not, because I'm about to die of embarrassment!'_ I groan to myself, feeling my entire face heat up. Inuyasha looks up at him absolutely bewildered, even with the light-show he was putting on right now to try and emphasize his point.

" _Lover?_ " He croaks out, dumbfounded. "Uh…there must be some misunderstanding!" He calls up to us as he shuffles closer, eyebrow raised. "Let me get this straight. You and I are supposed to be _lovers?_ " He asks me dryly.

" _NO!_ " I exclaim, almost too quickly. "He thinks I'm your mate or something because I _smell_ like you!" I knew I should have had a bath today.

 ** _'If things weren't so serious right now I'd be incredibly amused.'_** Mayumi's voice echoes in my head, making this all the more horrific.

_'STOP!'_

"You little vixen, I knew you were fibbing." Manten grins, raising his fist to give me a noogie. Of all the things I had ever dreamed of happening to me…this didn't even remotely fall on my radar.

"Did you really think I'd trade the _shards_ for _you?!_ " Inuyasha screams up at me in disbelief, and I can't help feeling a twinge of hurt. I wasn't even me that had presumed it! Hiten thought so without any encouragement on my part!

Well, other than the fact I had just refused to answer him at all.

"Well, it _is_ something lovers would do!" I snap back at him, unable to help myself. Fuck, it had _hurt_ when he had said that.

"Well we ain't _lovers!_ And without love the whole argument _kinda_ falls apart!" Inuyasha gripes back, clearly embarrassed about this whole situation.

Embarrassed of _me._

 _'It's like fucking junior high all over again.'_ I think to myself, hurt still resonating deep in my chest. Why was his eager dismissal affecting me so deeply?

**_'I think we both know the answer to that, Yua.'_ **

_'No.'_ I shake my head. _'I barely know the guy still, and clearly he's by no means even remotely attracted to me.'_

Not even enough to save me from becoming some demon's hair potion, apparently.

"Well it's clear that you do have some jewels for us, Inuyasha." Hiten interrupts, before bringing his staff around to the the ready. "Jewels that will be mine!" He shouts, taking a nose dive towards Inuyasha.

"Not in my life-time pal." Inuyasha replies, successfully drawing Tessaiga. I watch the sword as it transforms while it slides from the stealth, biting at my lower lip.

 ** _'The sword wouldn't have worked if he didn't actually_ want _to protect you.'_** Mayumi speaks up slyly, and I can't help rolling my eyes.

 _'Stop trying to play matchmaker. Now is_ really _not a good time.'_ I frown, watching as in a blaring blast of lighting Hiten's staff makes contact with Tessaiga. I lean forward a little more, watching Inuyasha intently as he blocks the hit, but he's obviously struggling. His shout of effort echoes up to me, and the very ground beneath him starts to break apart as their energies continue to collide.

"No one can withstand my attacks for very long!" Hiten proclaims confidently, continuing to bare down on Inuyasha. He pushes him off with a loud yell, but Hiten simply flips in the air as he is shoved backwards. "You do have power, but no style. This should be an interesting battle!" I swallow thickly, looking again to my bow out of the corner of my eye. If only I could find a way to reach it…Looking back down to Inuyasha I see him looking upwards, my his eyes shift to mine, locking for a second. His face was set in determination, and a silent promise rested in his eyes. I feel a sense of warmth wash over me, my gut telling me exactly what he was saying as the pain of his over-the-top denial from earlier washes away.

He wasn't about to leave me.


	11. Just Let Me Feel You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing that belongs to the creators of Inuyasha!
> 
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> ONWARD!

"You wish me to draw out this game, I see." Hiten chuckles cockily, still hovering a good distance above Inuyasha. " _Fine,_ I shall relish in your prolonged suffering."

 _'Well…he_ is _elegant in his speech at least.'_ I think to myself dryly, before glancing towards my bow.

"I've heard similar threats from a number of poor fools who's memories I keep alive by dancing on their tomb stones." Inuyasha bites back, and I'm mildly surprised by the detail he put into it.

Wonder how long he'd been practicing _that_ one.

"Perhaps in your dreams! Enough delay!" Hiten replies, twirling his staff. "Time to meet your own unfortunate demise!" He cries, before diving back down towards Inuyasha. Inuyasha barely manages to dodge the first blow, the ground erupting under where he had just been standing. Hiten hardly takes a moment before he starts to come down at Inuyasha with his staff once more. Inuyasha parries each blow, but he's continuing to be driven back by the onslaught from the older Thunder Brother.

 _'He won't be able to keep that up for much longer.'_ I think to myself in worry. Then Manten starts to cheer with joy beside me.

"I'll lend my assistance, brother!" He calls, his mouth filling with lightening. My eyes widen in disbelief.

" _I don't think so_!" I cry out, shoving him forward off of the cloud as a knee jerk reaction. My eyes widen in shock as it works, and he falls head first into the ground, his lightening flashing about him through the dust. When it clears he's seen laying in the bottom of a large crater of his creation, clearly unconscious.

Then the cloud starts to disappear from under me.

"I really didn't think this through!" I shout out, screaming as the cloud disappears completely and I start to go hurtling towards the ground.

"Yua! I'm coming!" Inuyasha shouts as I fall, and I can't help but think that he definitely wouldn't make it in time as Hiten launches another series of attacks. I look down, realizing that I'm going to land directly in the crater beside the unconscious Manten.

 ** _'Use your energy to slow your fall, or you'll be killed!'_** Mayumi shouts at me. I bring my hands in front of me, extending my arms forward. With the palm of my hands facing downward I let out a blast of my aura, and it works just as Mayumi says. I land with a grunt on my hands and knees beside Manten's body, saying a silent thank you to Mayumi for her guidance. I was sure I would end up a pancake!

"Now _that_ wasn't very nice." Manten's voice rumbles from beside me. My eyes go wide as I stiffen up, before frantically looking around for my bow and arrows. Elated I see my bow laying just within the reach of my hand, and quickly grab it before scrambling back away from the furious Thunder Brother.

 _'Where are my arrows?!'_ Looking upwards behind Manten, I'm greeted with an unwelcoming sight.

There was my quiver, laying at the top of the crater, _behind_ Manten.

 _'Just my luck, they are in the worst possible place!'_ I groan, shakily standing up. Manten stomps towards me, and my eyes zero in on the arrow still in his nose.

"Time for some fox magic!" Shippo's voice suddenly calls out as he appears, a spin-top on a drawstring in his hand. He lets it rip loose, spinning as it lands on Manten's head.

"Holy crap!" I stare in amazement when the spin-top gets larger as it spins rapidly, effectively pushing Manten's head back down into the dirt. I turn towards Shippo as he stands on the edge of the crater, his little hand holding onto my quiver of arrows. Quickly climbing up the steep incline and to the little fox demon, I kneel before him and he drops my arrows to the side, leaping into my chest as my arms instinctively wrap around him.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" Shippo cries out, and I can hear the genuine relief in his voice. Touched, I hug him tightly for a moment, running my hand over his unruly hair.

"It's alright, Shippo. We're going to be fine, but we have to keep moving." I frown, standing and grabbing my quiver from where he had dropped it. I clip it securely to my belt once more, throwing my bow over my shoulder. Looking back down into the hole I can see Shippo's attack still working. "That was _impressive_ by the way."

"It's an illusion." Myoga speaks up from Shippo's shoulder. "That's what fox magic is all about."

"You couldn't keep your big mouth shut, could you?" Shippo growls, looking extremely annoyed at his secret being outed.

" _That's_ an illusion?" I ask dubiously as I watch the big top continue to pin the Thunder Brother down. I look to Shippo. "Either way it's still really cool."

"Thank you, Yua!" Shippo grins then happily. This kid really responded well to positive praise.

"Observe." Myoga comments, and I look back down from Shippo to Manten. The top slowly seems to shrink in size once more as it's speed drops, before finally toppling over in it's original side off of Manten's head. Holy shit, that kid had _tricks_! Manten sits up slowly, reaching for the top and glaring down at it. As he does, the worst thing possible happens.

His single strand of hair slowly breaks from the top of his head, and drifts down in front of him.

"Oh no! My beautiful hair!" He cries out, his voice filled with anguish. "Gone! They're all _gone!_ Every last one of my hairs!"

 _'Seriously, he only_ had _three strands left. This shouldn't be the end of the world for him!'_ I think to myself frowning. Nevertheless Manten tilts his head back, his mouth opening and filling with lightening. I can feel the force of his power building, and it's even more charged than when he had lost his first two stands.

"YOU HAVE PLUCKED MY LAST STRANDS OF HAIR!" Manten's voice echoes throughout the area as lightening streams from his mouth in wayward directions. I pick up Shippo quickly, racing away as fast as I can as I feel the ground breaking apart behind me. The hair on my neck is standing on end from the power of the lightening just barely missing us. I race towards the cover of the trees, momentarily thinking of the irony. You weren't supposed to hide under trees in a thunderstorm, after all.

"Now we've done it." I groan as I slump back behind a tree, still holding Shippo as I catch my breath. "I swear he's worse than most _girls_ I know!" Little fires burn all around us from the charred landscape, and I chance a glance around the tree, hoping to see Inuyasha out there somewhere and still alive.

"I can smell your fear." Manten's voice suddenly washes over us both as approaches. "I will hunt you down, and use one for my hair potion, and the other for a new belt." He promises as we both hide behind the tree while he passes. I feel an overwhelming need to protect the little fox demon I was holding flare up at his specific threat towards Shippo.

"Stay here." I set him down, frowning. "Not matter _what_ happens you stay hidden, alright?"

"But what about you?" Shippo asks, worry clear in his voice.

"I'll be fine. I'm not going to let him hurt you." I reply firmly, before quietly taking my bow back into my hand. "Just stay here, and stay quiet!" I hiss lowly at him, slowly moving from our hiding spot. As I move quietly around another tree I can see Manten continuing back towards the clearing. The jewel shard in his forehead glints as he shifts his head back and forth, still trying to find us. 

'If I can get that jewel shard, his powers would decrease dramatically. It might be our only chance.' I frown. Making sure to get as far away from Shippo as possible, I make myself known to the younger Thunder Brother as I approach to the side.

"Yo! Baldy!" I notch my arrow, waiting for him to turn. As he does I narrow my eyes at the jewel shards gleaming in his forehead.

And this time I wouldn't miss. I take a deep breath in, and release the arrow.

 _'Come on…'_ I think as Manten seems frozen in place. My eyes widen in shock as I watch the arrow hit my intended target, the jewel flying out from his forehead.

"My jewel shard!" Manten cries out, turning towards it. Before he can reach them, however, Shippo bounds in. The little fox demon snatches it up, before racing towards me. I catch him as he leaps into my arms, taking the offered jewel shard. He moves up to sit on my shoulder, little hands grabbing onto my hair gently for balance. I can hardly find it in myself to reprimand him for putting himself in danger like that, not now that we had the jewel shards in our possession. 

"It's _ours_ now." I reply firmly, holding the jewel shard between my index finger and my thumb. Manten snarls as he glares at us.

"So be it, I don't need that thing to kill you both!" He proclaims cockily. "Besides, my girth has been increasing as of late, and I need another little fox pelt to widen this belt." He smirks cruelly, patting at the fur of Shippo's Father. "You'll soon be reunited with your Father, boy." I can feel my rage building. "Should I kill you first, or _skin you alive_ like your Father?" He goes on, Shippo physically shaking with grief and fear on my shoulder. "Perhaps I'll even use your toes for a new set of earrings!"

"Very clever, Manten!" Hiten suddenly calls out, and I look to see him hovering over Inuyasha. The half demon was on the ground, hand clenching at a wound in his shoulder as Tessaiga laid nearby, useless.

 _'Did he get hurt because he was too distracted with me?'_ I think, remembering hearing his voice yelling at me before. Guilt washes over me, before anger quickly comes back to replace it.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were becoming something of a villain." Hiten delivers his backhanded comment, and Manten is clearly in his glory . He grins proudly, throwing his head back in happy laughter. Was he really so desperate for his older brother's approval?

"Why thank you, brother!" Manten exclaims happily. "It is so kind of you to say so!"

"What a twisted family." I mutter to myself. Shippo leaps down from my shoulder before I can stop him, charging towards Manten. He jumps up, digging his little fangs into Manten's neck.

" _Shippo!_ " I frown, Manten grumbling with annoyance as he begins to try and push the small demon off.

"Trying to hasten your fate? Release me at once you little pest!" Manten raises his fist and begins to punch Shippo on the head repeatedly. The stubborn little guy still hangs on. "Release me immediately, fox tyke! Remove those baby teeth from me right now!"

"Manten! What do you think? Should we make this half-breed whelp watch as we kill his woman first?" Hiten shout to his brother, and I inwardly groan.

 _I_ wasn't _his woman!_

Manten momentarily stops punching Shippo to respond. "Brilliant idea, brother! Then I'll kill this little pest and add him to my collection of fur!" He agrees, his beady eyes turning towards me. I quickly notch another arrow, aiming it directly for Manten's chest.

 _'But what if I hit Shippo by accident?'_ I worry then, the little bugger hanging onto the demon's jugular with everything he had.

"I'll be the first to admit that I've earned my share of bad karma in the past." Inuyasha speaks up, slowly moving to stand. "But I'm _innocent_ compared to you two swine!" His voice is filled with anger, his gaze deadly as he stares up at the elder Thunder Brother. He reaches his claws into his wound, before throwing his hand outward.

" ** _Blades of Blood!_** " He cries out, the red streaks of his blood coated energy flying towards the unsuspecting Hiten. He brings up his staff, blocking the attack.

" _Finally_ this is starting to get interesting!" Hiten proclaims cockily, looking at Inuyasha with a deranged smile. Inuyasha takes the time to race for Tessaiga, the sword transforming once again as he took hold of it and pried it from the ground. He leaps up into the air, tossing Tessaiga directly at Hiten.

But that hadn't been his intended target.

'SHIPPO **_MOVE_**!" I shout, before dropping my bow and arrow and using my energy to surround his little body. I manipulate it, forcing him to let go of Manten as his body flies directly into my arms. I hold onto him tightly then, holding his head to my chest as my eyes watch on in wide eyed shock.

Manten was kneeling on the ground, impaled by Tessaiga.

Inuyasha had used his opportunity to hit Hiten to kill Manten instead, to make sure that Shippo and I were both safe.

 _'Alpha…'_ The term hits me hard then as I look from where Manten was now dying, over towards where Inuyasha stood confidently. His amber eyes flickered from Manten to me, locking on my own green ones. There was something in them, an emotion I hadn't seen before and couldn't put a name to, but it made me feel _protected._ I have to tear my eyes from his, knowing that we weren't out of danger yet as my mind flies to focus on what to do next. Gaze landing on the Tessaiga still impaled through Manten, I know what to do. 

_'Tessaiga! I need to get it to Inuyasha!'_ I rush forward with Shippo, the poor boy barely conscious in my arms from the beating he had taken to his head. I grab Tessaiga, the sword having reverted back to it's dulled form, pulling it from Manten's body.

"MANTEN!" Hiten shouts, rage clear in his voice.

"D-don't leave my Father behind." Shippo begs weakly, and I look to where the fur was still wrapped around Manten's body. Putting Tessaiga down I reach for it, tugging it loose and quickly wrapping Shippo up in it. I pick the sword back up then, holding Shippo and his Father in my other hand.

"YUA! Get _OUT_ of there! He's going to _kill_ you!" Inuyasha's screams at me, and looking up I can see Hiten racing towards us. He raises his staff, and I raise my hand holding Tessaiga at the exact same time. Forcing my energy outwards into the sword I meet his lightening head on, the blast sending all of us backwards. I let go of Tessaiga to hold Shippo tight to my body as we fall to the ground, grunting as I take the brunt of the fall. Groaning I sit up with Shippo out cold against me, looking over towards Hiten as he now kneels beside his brother. Tessaiga is laying near.

"Hiten, they're gone. Every last strand of my hair has fallen." Manten groans weakly. "With them so is lost my hopes of becoming happy."

Well _that_ seems a little dramatic.

"Don't be so foolish Manten, we can make it grow back!" Hiten replies, helping to hold his brother up.

"It's no use kidding myself, I'll never have your beautiful hair." Manten goes on, and I can't help lifting an eyebrow. "You were fortunate enough to inherit Father's looks, but fate smote me. It was my unfortunate lot in life to take after our homely Mother, and her receding hairline and decidedly reptilian countenance. How I longed for the looks of you and Father!"

Seriously. These could be the last few moments of your life and _this_ is what you choose to have a discussion about with your brother?

"Beauty isn't about what is on the outside! I wouldn't change anything about you brother, I love every last bald inch of you!"

"Thank you, even if you don't mean it." Manten replies pathetically. "Say a prayer for me when I'm gone. Pray that I'll return as a fuzzy caterpillar, covered in hair from head to furry toe." My mouth drops open slightly at that.

 _'This was the guy that had kicked my ass earlier? This fucking_ pansy _?'_ I can't help thinking in embarrassment. _'Inuyasha is never going to let me live that down.'_

"No, who am I kidding. I would be reborn bald again, if that meant being reborn your brother. Wouldn't that be nice, Hiten?" Manten corrects. I frown, having enough of this sappy shit and slowly getting to my feet, eyes narrowing in on Tessaiga.

How was I going to get past Hiten long enough to get the sword to Inuyasha?

"Manten! Please don't die!" Hiten exclaims as Manten goes slack in his arms. Inuyasha comes running up to us then, looking at me with concern, his eyes dropping to Shippo in my arms.

"Are you guys okay?" He asks urgently, and I nod.

"Thanks to you." I frown as I look at his shoulder. "How about you?"

"Oh, you know, just another easy day saving your ass." Inuyasha replies dryly, and I can't help but roll my eyes at him.

"I'm sorry for _once again_ slowing you down." He easily reads into the sarcasm, his face taking on an expression of annoyance.

"Damn right you are! I'll tell you what, though, sword or no sword I'm not going to let Hiten get the better of me!" He pauses for a moment. "And it's _not_ because I'm your _lover_!"

"Shut up! I didn't _say_ that!" I groan, throwing my head back in frustration as a blush heats my cheeks. "That asshole assumed it!"

"I know, I just like seeing you blush." Inuyasha backs off in a shocking one-eighty, shrugging his shoulders easily. My mouth falls open in disbelief, before I reach out and smack him hard on his shoulder.

His _injured_ shoulder.

" _OW!_ Hey! I'm _wounded_ here!" Inuyasha shouts indignity, hand moving to hold onto his shoulder.

Okay, I feel a _little_ guilty. Definitely not enough to apologize, though.

"YOU WRETCHES!" Hiten's voice bellows out from over his brother's dead body, effectively ending our banter. Lightening was streaking wildly across the sky as thunder roared in it's wake. "You slaughtered my brother!" There were actual tears falling fro the demon's eyes, and I'm shock to see that real grief was apparent on his face. "My dear Manten, rest assured that we shall always be as one!"

Then he bites his brother on the head. Fangs and all.

"Uh…what the hell is he doing?" I ask as I cradle Shippo's head to me with one hand, the other arm holding his body to me. The instinct to cover as much of him as possible with my arms to block out the danger was overwhelming. I had never felt so protective over someone before. Something deep inside of me was thrumming, something protective and maybe even... _maternal?_

"He is fusing the powers of his brother's body with his own. Luckily Yua was able to get the Sacred Jewel shard out before, or else he would have grown exponentially in power." Myoga hops up with the explanation. Inuyasha blinks in surprise, looking to me.

"You got the shard?" He asked dubiously, and I reach into my pocket, pulling it out to show him. "Well, maybe you _have_ been useful this time."

 _'_ This _time?'_ I think with annoyance, remembering all the times I had helped him before. Of course _he_ wouldn't remember that. Inuyasha takes out the silk bag from his pocket and I place the shard inside, before hanging the silk bag around my neck once more and tucking it safely away.

"You must be careful, Lord Inuyasha. Sacred Jewel shard or not, Hiten's power coupled with Manten's will make for a formidable opponent." Myoga goes on.

"You think?" Inuyasha asks dryly as Myoga jumps onto his shoulder, looking down at the flea unimpressed. "Hey, by the way, want the explain your noticeable absence up until now?" He pressed, Myoga giving his usual bashful laugh.

"I didn't bail on you! I had to make an itch that needed scratching!" Myoga states frantically, and I can't help sighing and shaking my head.

Suddenly light pours over us from where Hiten had been with Manten moments ago. Inuyasha grabs me around the waist as I hold onto Shippo, leaping away as Hiten's lightening strikes just where we had been standing. I look over Inuyasha's shoulder, eyes wide as I see the fissure in the earth where we had all just been.

"How _dare_ you strike down my beloved brother?" Hiten's voice is low and filled with deadly rage. "I shall not stop until I have returned the deed!"

"Yua, you need to take Shippo and get as far away from here as possible." Inuyasha suddenly orders, and I frown at him, shaking my head.

"I'm not leaving you here to fight this guy by yourself!" I protest sharply, narrowing my eyes at him. Inuyasha seems a little taken aback for a moment, but his own eyes narrow at me in return.

"Do as I say. _Now._ " His voice is lowered, growling deep in his chest. That same damn warmth spreads through me that makes me want to listen to him, even as I try to fight it.

" _Fine,_ but I'm not going far." _'In case you need me.'_ I think inwardly, Inuyasha frowning but not arguing. I turn, rushing away from him with Shippo while looking over to where Tessaiga is. If only there was a way for me to get it to him. I find a spot behind a hill a good distance away, making sure that I could see everything from where I was. Looking down at Shippo I can't help feeling a prang of worry. _'Poor little guy.'_

"I shall avenge my brother! Prepare to die!" Hiten exclaimes, his focus solely on Inuyasha as he raises his staff into the air. A large orb forms on the end, so big that as I turn to look I know that Inuyasha won't be able to dodge it.

"INUYASHA!" I can't help shouting in fear for him, heart racing in my chest. He raises the sheath to his sword suddenly. Shockingly the sheath holds together as Inuyasha manages to block the blast, surprising even Hiten.

The light slowly fades and reveal Inuyasha standing there unscathed, deep crevices to either side of him where the lightening could escape. I feel movement against me, looking down then as I see Shippo slowly waking up.

"Hey, you alright?" I ask softly, allowing the fox demon a moment to wake up fully before I set him down with his Father's fur.

"Inuyasha is getting his butt kicked out there!" Shippo exclaims when he sees what is going on, frowning. I look over as well, worry seizing at my stomach as he continues to just barely block attack after attack Hiten makes.

"I wish there was some way we could help." I frown deeply, chewing on my lower lip as my gaze lands on Tessaiga once again.

"He probably wouldn't be as bad to fight if he couldn't fly." Shippo replies thoughtfully, and my eyes wide as I look towards the wheels by his ankles. That's _it!_

"You're a _genius_ , Shippo!" I exclaim, before standing.

"What are you doing Yua?!" Shippo panics slightly. "Get down before he sees you!" I frown turning to look at him.

"I want you to get away from here, move as fast and as far as you can." I instruct him, paraphrasing the order that Inuyasha had given only moments before. Shippo looks up at me wide eyed, hesitating. " _Go!_ " I lower my own voice, letting him know not to question me. There wasn't time for that. Inuyasha didn't have time for that. He nods solemnly then, leaving without any more hesitation.

 _'If Hiten is going to target me after I do this, I don't want Shippo caught in the cross-fire.'_ I think to myself waiting for the little fox demon to hide behind another hill a distance off. _'Mayumi, give me strength.'_ I think, closing my eyes for a moment. I feel her then, her familiar signature washing over me as her energy mingles with mine. I summon my energy, raising my left hand to create my bow, then my right to create an arrow. I open my eyes in time to see Inuyasha go down hard, struck by Hiten's lighting. Knowing there was no time to lose I draw it back my bow, taking aim at the wheel floating near his right ankle. "Don't miss." I mumble to myself, before releasing my arrow. It glowed brightly with my aura as it flew at Hiten, but he saw it too late. The arrow hit my target dead on, shattering the wheel.

I can't believe it actually worked!

Watching on in astonishment as Hiten wobbles unsteadily in the air, I can't help the swelling of pride I have. Inuyasha takes advantage as Hiten lowers to the ground unwillingly, grabbing his staff and pulling him in closer.

"You're mine." Inuyasha growls lowly, glaring up at the last living Thunder Brother.

"Your confidence is annoying!" Hiten responds, before his lightening sparks along his staff and directly into Inuyasha.

"What is he thinking?!" Myoga cries out as he appears in front of me watching the battle. "Lord Inuyasha may be strong indeed, but he is foolhardy grabbing onto the Lightening Pike like that!" He starts to jump up in down in his worry. "Let go of the Pike, milord!" He pleads. I frown, watching Inuyasha intently as he either doesn't hear Myoga, or just ignores him.

"I don't need this thing anymore!" Inuyasha states as he throws the sheath belonging to Tessaiga to the side carelessly.

"Don't let go of the _sheath,_ you fool! iI's your only chance to triumph!" Myoga shouts in frustration at the bull-headed half-demon.

"I'm going to do things _my_ way!" Inuyasha shouts, before delivering a strong punch with his right hand to Hiten's cheek. It sends the demon flying backwards into the ground, surprise evident on his face. He slides along the ground, crashing into a nearby ridge, dirt raising up into the air. Inuyasha has a glare on his face as he breathes hard, his teeth grit together in determination.

 _'That was…kinda…hot.'_ I have to admit to myself, feeling a little warm now. He had taken him out with a single punch, and he looks dangerous as he stands there with his shoulders squared and ready. _'What the fuck is wrong with me?!'_ I groan to myself. There was something different about him defeating his opponent with a sword, and taking out a guy with his bare hands.

"Not bad for a half-breed, eh?!" Inuyasha childishly calls out to him.

The hotness of the moment is ruined.

"K.O. for Master Inuyasha!" Myoga now cheers, completely changing his tune. "He slugged him right in the kisser! Downed him in the final round with the old right hook, yeah!"

Hiten slowly sits up as the dust settles, rubbing at his cheek with a frown on his face. "Hm, I've never been struck in the face before." He states as he slowly moves to stand. "I refuse to allow it again." He adds in a deadly calm voice.

Well _somebody_ is pissed that they just got bitch slapped.

Then Hiten starts to glow blue with his aura, his power rising exponentially.

"This can't be good." I murmur weakly, his blood red eyes glaring at Inuyasha. Inuyasha hunches over at the ready, glaring right back at him defiantly.

"I'll see you in Hell you swine!" Hiten exclaims, before speeding towards Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha! Your sheath! _Get your sheath!_ " I cry out, realizing that was the only way he would survive this next blow. Apparently he does as well as he dives for it, grabbing it and bringing it up to block just as Hiten's staff arches down at him.

A crack echoes through the clearing, my heart stopping with it. _'The sheath is starting to break!'_ I think, eyes wide.

"I shall relish your demise more than any other half-breed!" Hiten proclaims, and something inside of me snaps. I jump from my hiding spot, throwing my arms in front of me with the heels of my hands touching.

 ** _'Yua, what on earth do you think you're doing?!'_** Mayumi shouts at me in disbelief. **_'You're going to get yourself killed!'_** I ignore her, instead concentrating my energy into a purple ball that grows from where the heels of my hands meet. As it expands it touches my fingers as they spread outward, containing it. **_'Yua! Even with this power you still aren't strong enough to beat him, and you're going to drain any energy you have left!'_**

 _'I can give Inuyasha a chance!'_ I argue back, before yelling out and sending the orb flying towards Hiten. He looks up too late, once again underestimating me, and my purple orb hits him directly in the side sending him flying. He lands yards away, skidding along the ground and creating a indent in the land in his wake. Inuyasha looks at me shocked, blinking as his mouth falls open while he lays there with the sheath still held above him.

"When the hell did you learn _that_ one?!" He demands, and I grin wearily.

"It's new, thought of it on the spot." I reply honestly, though really, I had been thinking of a cartoon I used to watch back home. The characters had been able to create energy like I had just did, and would blast away their opponents in a single shot. However, unfortunately, I had not succeeded in killing mine. Hiten sat up, looking pissed as ever. My legs are barely holding me up, shaking so badly that I didn't know if I could move.

A bright yellow light forms in his mouth, Manten's attack, and it comes rumbling across the valley like a freight train straight towards me. My stomach sinks in realization knowing there was nowhere for me to run, or to hide.

"YUA!" Inuyasha screams, thankfully outside of the reach of the blow. He watches in disbelief, knowing he wouldn't be able to get to me in time.

"NO!" Shippo suddenly leaps into my arms with his Father still wrapped around him, naively trying to save me from the blow.

" _Shippo!_ " I exclaim, turning swiftly as the lightening bore down on us. I tucked him in as tightly as I could into my chest, praying that my body would save him. The ground underneath of me erupts as I am paralyzed, unable to move. Thrown up into the air I hold on tightly to the little fox-demon, the heat from the lightening searing at my skin.

_Or was it?_

We land hard together, Shippo knocked out almost instantly. I blink blearily, fully expecting to be burned alive as the flames rose around us.

Wait…those were _blue_ flames, like _Shippo's!_

 **"Thank you for protecting my son. Now it is my turn to protect you."** A deep voice resonates about us, and I can't stop the gasp of shock understanding who it is.

"Y-you're Shippo's Dad…" I trail off, speaking to the fire that now surrounded us.

 **"Please look after him for me. Tell him I love him very much."** The voice added, before fading. The flames around us are completely covered in blue as a reach for Shippo, gathering him into my arms. His eyes open slightly, before snapping right open as he sees the familiar fox fire.

"Dad?" He asks weakly, and I nod, noticing that his Father's pelt was gone from around him.

Inuyasha's yell of fury brings my attention back to the battle as I stand, the fox fire continuing to surround us in protection. He was so lost in the fight that he didn't notice us, so intent on ending Hiten's life after he thought the demon had taken ours.

 _'He really does care.'_ I think to myself, watching as he fights passionately, rage clear in his face. It rivaled the anger that Hiten had showed when his brother had been killed.

 ** _'See, loyal.'_** Mayumi chimes in, and I have to admit that she's right.

* * *

**Inuyasha's POV**

"You'll regret the day that you crossed me!" The rage boils over, overwhelming the horrified guilt I had felt moments ago when Yua and Shippo's bodies had been struck. My instinct was to avenge them with everything I had, but what would I do afterwards? Where would I be? That damn woman had come here to my time, and fucked with my head to the point I actually felt a hole in my chest knowing she was gone. The damn fox-demon pup too. Even if I had only known him for a day I had grown inexplicably attached. They were _mine_ to protect, both of them, and I had _failed_.

I swing my head forward, clashing against Hitan's and effectively breaking the lock that we had been in. Hiten snarls, but he actually looks a little nervous now. Good, he should be nervous. He killed my friends…my _pack._ "All this because I killed the woman that you loved?!" Hiten asks in disbelief. "When will you learn that no woman is worth risking a battle over?!" I snarl at him, eyes narrowing. That's where he was wrong. He had sealed his fate the moment he had even _looked_ in Yua's direction. Hell, his death had been decided the moment his brother had chosen to kidnap her. "A brother's revenge, on the other hand, is well worth fighting to the death for!" Hiten continues, letting out a cry as he charged towards me once more. I block him, momentarily flinching as the sheath bends further under the press of his staff, cracking more.

Then a pulse echoes from the sheath.

It's like the pulse I had felt the moment Tessaiga had come to life for me back in my Father's tomb. My eyes widen in shock as I see the sword suddenly racing towards me, like it had been summoned. I grab it in my right hand as it flies by. "Tessaiga!" I shout, Hiten's only warning before I bring the sword down onto Hiten. His eyes are wide, and I watch with intense gratification as the Thunder Brother's staff breaks in half, everything else seeming to freeze in the moment. Hiten slowly falls to his knees, his body disappearing leaving only the four jewel shards in his wake. I breathe heavily, looking down at the shards. Where was the relief that I had won? Where was the joy at having obtained the jewel fragments? Instead I was overwhelmed with cold grief and anger at myself as I kneel down weakly. I was their protector, I was Yua's protector, and I had let them both down.

 _'Yua…'_ I frown, shoulders hunching as I think of her green eyes, not wanting to look where her charred body no doubt now lay.

* * *

**Yua's POV**

The entire battle was intense, Inuyasha fighting with strength than I had ever seen him use before, not even with his own brother. I frown deeply as he falls to his knee in front of the jewel shards, exhaustion and pain from his wound no doubt taking it's toll. HIs head bows forward, but before it does I catch the sadness in his amber eyes.

Maybe it wasn't exhaustion…maybe it was _grief?_

"Lord Inuyasha, the jewel shards." Myoga murmurs, his voice holding a hint of sadness.

"I don't care about them." Inuyasha admits, and I feel shocked to the core. "If only I had taken care of Hiten sooner. I could have saved Yua and Shippo." His voice his filled with this heart-wrenching regret. I hold Shippo tighter to me then, my heart warming as I realize how much he really does care, even if he never admits to it.

"Inuyasha?" I speak up softly, the fox fire slowly starting to dim around Shippo and I. Inuyasha stands, turning quickly with a look of disbelief in his eyes.

" _Y-Yua?_ Shippo?" He questions, looking incredibly fragile as he does. The last of the blue fire dissipates around us. "You're _alive?!_ "

"Shippo's Father saved us using his fox magic." I explain softly, before looking down to Shippo in my arms. "Your Father said he loves you very much." I add gently to the boy, Shippo's eyes filling with tears then as he tucks his face against my chest. It's like the floodgates had finally opened on him, all the bravery he had shown since his Father's death now able to be put aside with the Thunder Brothers both dead. He could finally allow himself to properly grieve, his sobs muffled by my shirt. I feel a hand grab my right upper arm, looking up as Inuyasha is suddenly in front of us, pulling us in. He rests his forehead against my own, our breaths intermingling as Shippo sobs quietly between us. His amber eyes are burning into my green ones, a fierce look in them that sends a wave of warmth through me. His right hand never lets go of my arm, as if he was afraid if he did I would float away, and all this wouldn't be real.

"Inuyasha?" I question, my voice barely a whisper. I was afraid that if I spoke too loudly he'd come to his senses and push me away.

"Just shut-up and let me _feel_ you." Inuyasha's gruff voice snaps, his eyes closing as he takes a deep breath. His left hand comes up, cupping the back of my neck under my ponytail, as if trying to prevent me from pulling away. Oh, he didn't have to worry, I wasn't going _anywhere._

I was right where I belonged.


End file.
